


Contact Light

by igrewupwiththis



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Pidge | Katie Holt, Highschool AU, M/M, Nonbinary Pidge | Katie Holt, Punk Lance, emo keith, idk man, ish, klance, klance fluff, lol what else, lotor is a piece of shit in this one, mechanic keith, not really - Freeform, tech hunk, tech pidge, theatre lance, thespian lance, this is derived from a work from pidgey draws
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-25
Updated: 2019-03-24
Packaged: 2019-06-16 08:01:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 38,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15432579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/igrewupwiththis/pseuds/igrewupwiththis
Summary: There's a new kid in Lance's grade - needless to say, he's intrigued. Together they go through the adventurous school year, while also growing closer.Disclaimer: I most likely will not continue this story, so please dont be disappointed when it suddenly stops. If you still want to read it, happy reading <3





	1. I

Lance was stoked. More than that, even, he was livid. New year meant one year closer to graduation, but also another play.

Lance was a drama kid, everyone knew, and he lived for the theatre.

After three months of working in his uncle's restaurant, he couldn't wait for school to start, and today was the day. He was way too excited to pay much attention to what he would wear for the day, he just threw on a t-shirt and a pair of jeans, and over that his thin black jacket decorated with a jeans vest. Even though it was chilly in the morning he knew it was going to be hot in the afternoon. Typical September weather.

He hastily grabbed his backpack after washing up, about to leave the house, when his sister blocked his way.

"Out of the way, Lenny, I need to get to school!" He pushed, but she wouldn't budge.

"Sit your butt down," she demanded and gestured to the kitchen table, "and let me do this." She held up a small bottle of black liquid.

"There's no way in hell I'll let you do this to me," Lance said, already starting to move her out of the way, but she gripped his wrist and pulled him along.

"I'll make you a deal," she said while pushing him on a chair, "either you let me paint your nails now, or you let me paint your ring finger an other colour every week from now on for the next ten weeks."

For him, it was quickly decided. He knew fighting her would do no good. "The latter it is," he said and put his right arm on the table and his head on it. There was no way he'd go to school with all his fingers painted. Also, he knew his younger sister would forget about it after two weeks maximum.

Elena swiftly opened the small bottle and got to work. Meanwhile Lance took out his phone and texted his best friend Pidge that they should wait for him; Elena's plans got in the way.

"All done," his sister announced and he stormed off to get his bike and ride to his friend's house.

Pidge was already standing in front of their house, tightening their shoelaces around their green roller skates.

"What kind of 'plans', Lancey Lance?" Was the first thing Pidge asked when Lance approached, but he just held up his ring finger as an answer.

"Whatever," he said and made a U-turn around his tiny friend. "Hold on tight!"

He looked back to see if Pidge was holding onto the carrier of his bike before kicking the pedals and speeding to school. Shortly before the school's building the street tilted and descended, and Lance shouted "Hop on!", telling his friend to jump on the carrier. They promptly did and together with Pidge's arms tightly around his waist they were racing down the hill towards a new semester.

\-----------------------

"Are you fuckin' serious?" Lance asked no one in particular, looking at his timetable. "Physics? In the _ first _ period on Monday? This can't be real."

"Hey,  at least your drama club isn't cancelled, like IT club," Pidge grumbled and pulled their knees to their chin.

"It's not cancelled, just postponed," Hunk tried to comfort them, but Pidge remained bitter.

They were in the auditorium, comparing their schedules and waiting for the next period to start, which happened to be Social Studies.

"What do you think who's gonna be our teacher in history this year?" Hunk asked, copying his schedule to his neat planner.

"Mr Richards, maybe? I've heard Mrs Hansen teaches E.H., too." Pidge said and scratched their head. Their face was a little tanned, as much as her complexion allowed it to since she was in Italy with her family over summer. The kilos of sunscreen they needed to use to not burn alive was insane.

"Whoever it will be, I hope their teaching won't be as dry as Mrs Tozier's," Lance said, making them all remember long periods of copying entire blackboards of nothingness and useless information.

"Did you get taller  _ again _ , Lance?" Pidge remarked, not really asking a question. They eyed their friend suspiciously.

"Everyone is tall for you, dwarf," Lance mumbled self consciously, making himself a little smaller than he was.

He was about to say something else, but he forgot, as soon as he saw a face he hadn't seen before - and he knew every face in his grade.

"Hey, hey, guys. Who is that?" He asked, nudging his friends and pointing in the direction of the boy who was seated a few rows away from them, studying his schedule as well.

He was wearing a simple black hoodie and ripped black jeans, matching his black hair and eyebrows. He didn't look mean, not really. Neither emo nor goth, just simply uninterested in his surroundings.

He lifted one hand to brush his hair out of his eyes and Lance spotted a festival bracelet and… a painted ring finger!

"Holy shit," Lance said and instinctively hid his hand. 

"I think he's new," Hunk said. "Should we say hello?" 

"No!" Lance said, overwhelmed with the situation. There was a hot guy in his grade, he couldn't just go there and say hi. He'd embarrass himself, he already saw it coming. "Let's… just wait and see how many subjects we share."

 

Funnily enough, social studies came around and Lance found himself chewing on the inside of his cheek while he began to realise something - the new boy and him shared social studies.

Pidge slammed open the door to the room, in which their teacher already sat and prepared his desk, accompanied by a few other students.

"Good morning, Mr Bo!" Pidge hollered, resulting in a look of terror on Mr Beauregard's face. "I hope you slept well, long time no see."

"Don't tell me you three idiots are in my class again," he said and leaned his head on his fist.

"Get used to it," Lance said while passing his teacher's desk, knocking on it as a greeting.

Mr Bo huffed and rubbed his eyes, bracing himself for the school year. "Anyway, sit down guys, lesson's about to start. But before that, I see a new face…" His eyes focused on the new boy who just entered the room, raising his eyebrows as if he got caught. 

"I can imagine you don't want to introduce yourself in front of the whole class, just tell us few who you are," Mr Bo offered, smiling at the new student.

The black haired guy was still for a moment but then caught himself as if to say 'now or never'. He took a breath. "Uhm.. Hi," he started, putting his hands in his pockets. "My name is Keith Kogane, and I switched schools this year… yeah, there's not much about me." His light complexion got a slight tint around his cheeks.

"Well, if there's nothing more you want to share with us, you may sit down," Mr Bo said, still smiling.

"Thanks," the boy - Keith - muttered and walked to a place a row in front of Lance, not too far away from him, and chose a seat in front of Pidge.

Lance watched him, trying to hold in his joy of having him in his class and his eyes wandered to his friends who looked at him warningly. Hunk lifted his hand and made a 'cut-my-own-throat' gesture, but Lance responded to that with a wide grin and enthusiastic nodding. Pidge facepalmed themselves.

"Oh, and I can imagine you don't know your way around here too well," Mr Bo said. "What about Pidge showing you around a little after class?"

Pidge looked up surprised and Keith looked up too, looking around to find them. "Uh… sure. I can do that," Pidge said, looking back at Keith.

"Glad that's settled, then," Mr Bo announced happily. "Now if you would focus on the board, I'll present to you the topics for this year-"

"Oh my God, 'demand and supply'? This is exactly why I didn't choose economics and I still have to study for this topic?" Lance interjected, after having skimmed the topics.

"Shut up, Lance, I'm trying to look professional here, I can't change what's in the curriculum," Mr Bo defended himself, earning a fit of laughter from the class. "So, let me explain what we'll deal with in this topic…"

\--------------------------------------------------------

"So, umm, what's your next subject? I could help you find the room," Keith heard a high voice behind him saying to him. He turned around to see the little girl behind him gripping her backpack's straps and looking up to him. She really was tiny.

"Oh," he said, not expecting her to seriously wanting to help him. He shuffled to get out his schedule and check his next subject. "I have European History now, in room 205? Yeah."

"Cool, me too!" Pidge said and walked with him out of the room. "Basically, the room system is really easy here in the school, they are named with three-digit numbers, and the first digit is always the floor. For example room 205 is on the second floor. The following digits are just the position in the building, but that is pretty easy to find."

While Pidge explained, Keith took in his surroundings, enjoying not being stared at judgingly by peers. "That is really easy," he admitted, inspecting the drawings on the wall.

"Are you into any things?" Pidge suddenly asked, steering his attention to her. "Drama? Gaming? Cooking?"

Keith looked at her but then realized that it was a genuine question. "I like gaming, but I never really got into it much. I only play on a computer, too."

"Really? Me too, I prefer it over my PS4 or Xbox, I like the controls more, they're simpler," Pidge rambled, leading Keith up a flight of stairs. Behind them some others from social studies followed, apparently they had to go the same way.

"You have all that?" He asked disbelievingly.

Pidge nodded. "An oculus too, but I don't use it much."

"Damn," Keith said. He seemed to be speaking with a spoiled rich kid. "What do your parents say about that? Aren't they like my dad, 'oh we're losing her we need to do more things with her-"

"Them," Pidge corrected.

Keith first didn't seem to understand. "You got a sibling?"

"I do, but also I am a them."

This took Keith a little while longer. "Oh, that- I'm sorry. That was rude of me."

Pidge's face lit up, shrugging happily about the acceptance. "It's okay," they said, brushing their hair out of their face. Keith didn't see it, but Pidge turned back to someone behind them, and signed 'O.K.', with an urgent looking facial expression.

**Lance:** He said that?!

**Pidge:** He did, get 'im tiger

**Hunk:** still lance, be careful

**Lance:** It's chill hunk, dw abt me 

**Pidge:** imma find out why he switched schools, im sure he just moved or smth

**Lance:** I'm telling yall hes gay 

**Hunk:** Safe? 

**Lance:** Safe. Gaydar.

 

With that said, Lance put away his phone and tried to pay attention to his new teacher's class. Even though he was intrigued with Keith, he was very interested in European History. It was very easy for him to remember all the wars and allied countries, though he never knew why. Being almost the best in this class he constantly tutored his friends and helped them with their homework. Of course, they helped him too, in subjects such as physics. Everyone benefitted.

The day went by, but Keith wouldn't leave Lance's mind. It wasn't just his admittedly handsome face, it was his aura, how he was polite but also holding back. It drove Lance crazy when he wasn't able to figure people out immediately, and he was determined to get to know Keith.

"Hey, star boy," Pidge said, snapping their fingers and popping Lance's bubble of thought. "We want to chill in the library after school, catching up a little for today. You coming?"

"Sorry," Lance apologised, "I have drama, remember?" 

"Right," Hunk said. "Well then, see ya tomorrow champ." He waved and left with Pidge, leaving Lance alone on his way to drama club. He was beyond excited to see what his teacher had prepared for him this year…

 

"And terms compulsatory, those foresaid lands/So by his father lost: and this, I take it!" Lance was shouting across the stage, strained and core muscles aching. 

"More convincing!" It came from the seats. Their drama teacher was always up for shenanigans, but this was… something else.

Lance was propped up against the back of the stage, sitting on an imaginary chair and holding an excerpt of Hamlet in his shaking hand. He took a deep breath and tried to put as much emotion and effort in his voice as possible, as much as his position would allow him.    
"Is the main motive of our preparations,/The source of this our watch and the chief head," he shouted, earning a thumbs up before he continued. "Of this post-haste and romage in the land!"

He finished his line and his legs gave in instantly, making him fall on his butt.

"Again!" Mr Coran shouted from the audience and clapped his hands.

They were in the auditorium, starting off with light voice and lung capacity exercises. The actors obviously didn't like it, but Mr Coran didn't care.

"Excuse me, Coran, but shouldn't we talk about the plans for this school year?" A strong voice, Allura, said. She was still sitting with her back against the wall next to Lance, but her legs were trembling too.

"That is an excellent idea, Allura, but actually I wanted to keep it a secret," Mr Coran said, grinning. "You know what, since you asked so nicely, I can tell you kids. Gather 'round!"

He stood up from his chair and jumped to the stage, sitting down on it, the students forming a semi-circle around him. 

Lance got up from the floor too, and walked over to their instructor with Allura, as they sat down in the front of the stage.

"So," Coran started, spreading his notes out in front of him. "You're well aware of how we're always doing improv and creating own plays, right? Well, I decided - because of popular demand - to change things a little, and let you act in a real play!" 

The students looked at each other, interested.

"I've prepared three plays and I wanted you to vote on your favourite, which you'll work on, then!" He took out a sheet of paper, smiling ominously at the teens.

Lance and Allura looked at each other grinning. They've been wishing for this for ages, and finally, they were going to play a classical play - they couldn't wait!

"You have two weeks to decide, and then we'll of course have auditions." 

Lance grinned wider at his friend. The two of them knew they were a) Coran's favourite students and b)  _ very  _ good actors.

"The first one will be Twelfth Night or What You Will," Coran announced. "The second one Emilia Galotti, and the third one… Romeo and Juliet!" 

\---

"You're gonna vote Romeo and Juliet, right?" Allura asked Lance, fidgeting her long hair out of the bun she put it in.

"Of course!" Lance said. "Imagine, you and me, Romeo and Juliet… That would be so cool!"

"We're totally gonna get the roles," Allura said. She was always so sure of things, how she did it Lance didn't know, but she had convinced him too. Being self-assured was part of their job. "We'll spice it up a little, two people of colour in the lead…"

Lance had to laugh at that. "Let's see first if we're taken," he calmed her and shouldered his bag and winked. "You better be extra nice to Coran the next couple of weeks."

"I have that covered," Allura winked back. "Shiro is my best friend, remember?"

And it was true. Shiro was the school representative and a great teacher's pet, so befriending teachers was easy for her. It seemed to Lance that life was always easy for her, even though that wasn't true.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure you'll be the number one to my number one," Allura laughed, ruffling Lance's hair as a goodbye. "See ya tomorrow!" 

Lance had to admit, he was mad happy that he had Allura. She was like a big sister to him, helping him out and having fun with him on stage. Wouldn't it be grand if they could both be starring in the play? But wait, wasn't there a kiss between Romeo and Juliet? Eh, Lance didn't care. They would figure something out. It wasn't like it was horrible kissing someone like Allura, so that would be his smallest problem.

He tied his jacket around his waist and jogged out of school into the dry and warm air already spotting a few leaves on the ground, making him frown. Getting to his bicycle he started to push it up the hill and think about his first day back to school when he remembered.

_ 'Keith Kogane', huh? _

When he got home, sadly, he didn't find any Keith Kogane on Instagram, and he would've looked on facebook if he had an account. Then an idea struck him.

**Lance:** What do I have hacker friends for

**Pidge:** We aren't your friends

**Lance:** stfu and tell me what you can find out abt Keith. Does he have fb?

**Hunk:** just checked, nope. But I'll keep looking

**Lance:** youre the best

He threw himself on his bed letting his tired body sink into the mattress. If the year started like this he could see one disaster coming after the other. He was about to rest his eyes for a moment when his phone buzzed again.

**Pidge:** lol th he lives like 15 min away from u by bike

**Hunk:** you little beast I wanted to say that

**Hunk:** also he went to Joseph Beuys High before he switched

**Lance:** Beuys??? that place is reeking of republicans!

**Pidge:** :/ ¯\\_( ツ )_/¯

**Hunk:** give him a chance. if pidge says hes a nice kid

**Pidge:** all shit aside, he is. he immediately accepted me, don’t get discouraged 

A small smile crept on Lance's face. Grateful for his friends he locked his phone and closed his eyes. He didn't fall asleep, he just waited for the extreme tiredness that came from being around people all day left, and after about half an hour he got up and stretched, actually feeling more awake and ready to continue his day.

He sat down at his desk, going through the material he already collected the first day. Their new history teacher was nice but ambitious as hell. They had to cover a lot in the next few months to catch up, their previous teacher taught them about nothing.

They'd be starting 1815 with the reorganization of Europe, then the German revolution… Lance scratched his head and looked through the pages of text they had gotten. This ought to be fun.

"Sara! Call your siblings for lunch!" Lance heard his mother call through the house. Shortly after there were small feet running around, slamming open doors and ordering to come downstairs right now.

Lance already got up and was about to open the door, when it opened itself and his small sister stood in the doorframe. 

"Lance, come-"

"I know, I know," Lance said, scooping Sara up and throwing her over his shoulder. "I heard you."

"Let me down!" Sara squealed laughing, trying to find a way down, but Lance wouldn't loosen his grip. 

The two of them arrived in the kitchen where Daniel and Elena were already seated, waiting for their mother's food.

"Where's Ana?" Lance asked, putting his sister down on a chair and sitting down next to her.

"In town with her Mason," his mom explained, carrying a large tray with lasagna to their table, earning sounds of excitement from the other children.

"Mason? Not Mason Spencer, no?" Lance asked to be sure, hoping his mom would say 'Oh no, Mason Kruger from another school than yours' or something similar. But that would be too good to be true.

"Why yes, that Mason," she said and put some of the lasagna on plates, handing them to her children. "Do you know him?"

Oh and how Lance knew him. But he decided to let it go. "No, not really. Just heard his name."

 

**Lance:** We have a problem, my sister's dating mason.

**Pidge:** Umm.

**Hunk:** what!

**Hunk:** wait, didn’t you tell her?

**Lance:** obv not. she doesn’t need to know

**Pidge:** I think you should tell her, for her sake 

**Lance:** I think the mcfuck not

**Lance:** anyway

**Lance:** ayo pidge can u ask keith for his number to put in the history group plssssssss

**Pidge:** mmmkay

**Pidge:** also, I might have found his IG, idk tho. kk_2310 it’s a photography account and mutuals w shiro, check it out, maybe its him

**Lance:** you're the best ! thanks

With a few swift clicks he found the account, and it wasn't half bad. Most of the pictures were the sky or buildings, but in a beautiful lighting and sadly without any titles. Lance wasn't sure if this was Keith's, but if it was, he wasn't going to follow him, not yet.

He was sitting at his desk again, his history things packed away again, he had given up on working beforehand. He'd just follow the class.

 

By the end of the first week Lance discovered that he shared a total of six subjects with Keith; English, Maths, Physics, European History, Biology and Social Studies. By the end of the week Lance had also Keith's number through the history group, and he found out through Pidge that Keith switched schools because he got into a fight with people at his old school. This gave Lance a bad feeling, but he tried not to be biased. Maybe it was just a misunderstanding. Still, Pidge reported to him that Keith didn't get further into the topic.

The day was warm and humid, making Lance thankful for not having to go home, but stay in the cool auditorium, for drama. He and Allura had found out that Coran didn't give two shits about who played around with the speakers, so they decided to blast typical 'feel good' songs through them before practice.

Today Allura had connected her phone to the mixing panel, playing 'Shut Up and Dance'. At first, Lance had groaned, but now both of them were caught in an embarrassingly dramatic duet, screaming their lungs out to the lyrics. The other actors laughed at their dance, some even dancing themselves.

They had shut down the lights in the audience and only the spotlights were shining on them, making them feel like actors in a real musical. They couldn't even see the seats from the bright light.

"Deep in her eyes," Lance sang, taking both of Allura's hands and pulling her towards him, "I think I see the future!"

"I realize," Allura sang back, "this is my last chance!" 

"She took my arm," all the people on stage joined in and Allura took Lance's arm, stepping with him across the stage and he smiled at her with a cocky grin, "I don’t know how it happened…"

Lance and Allura twirled across the stage, laughing and singing, bracing themselves for the last verses. Both were already exhausted but kept going, luckily this was the slower and quieter part. The song would soon be over.

They sang with all their heart, dancing goofily and finished the song. 

"Shut up and dance!" They shouted, Allura holding onto Lance who reached into the black audience area. 

When the instrumental finished the lights were being switched on, and Lance discovered that the audience area was indeed not empty. Keith Kogane sat there, feet propped up on a seat in front of him, a book in his hand but looking one eyebrow raised at Lance, who was pointing exactly at Keith.

Lance immediately jumped out of his position, Allura laughing at his reaction, letting go of him too. 

"Okay guys, time for a warm-up," Coran announced from backstage, walking to the stage with a bunch of sheets of paper in his arms. "We have a visitor today, but don't let him distract you. Come on! Walk around the stage, be aware of your surroundings, stretch a little, the usual stuff!" He walked to the front row in the audience and arranged his papers, out of earshot of Allura and Lance.

"Is that the mysterious Keith Kogane?" Allura asked Lance curiously, smiling. 

"How the hell do you know about him?" Lance asked, trying to walk as near to Allura as possible. Also, he tried to not face the audience again. He's done many embarrassing things, but that really was too embarrassing, even for his standards.

"Shiro told me about him," Allura said. "They know each other, Shiro's the reason Keith got accepted into our school."

"What now?" Lance exclaimed and almost stumbled over his own feet. "How?"

Allura shrugged and abruptly changed the direction she was walking in, crossing ways with Lance and going in a circle around him before talking to him again. "They're childhood friends or something. I don't know much but he seems to be a good guy. Also, I'm sure you'll have chances with him," she said, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Excuse me," Lance said, clutching his chest, "who the hell told you-" But then he stopped himself.

"Pidge," both said in unison, and Lance facepalmed himself. 

He should've known, Pidge is good at keeping secrets, but only when asked to. And he didn't exactly ask her to keep it a secret. He sighed. After ten minutes he dared to shoot a quick glance at Keith, who was still in his seat, reading the book in his hands. Lance calmed significantly, finally able to really concentrate on what Coran was saying. 

"Today we'll focus on your attitudes and persuasiveness," he said, handing out sheets of paper to everyone. "I want you to choose one of the poems or excerpts of poems, and recite them with a completely different emotion. You have five minutes to practice and then you'll present what you came up with to me. And - go."

Lance scanned the page - a poem by Goethe, one by Wordsworth… Dr Seuss? And one by Poe. He quickly decided on Poe, finding it easiest to turn around. It was something he didn't know - To Helen - and was about to read it when Coran appeared next to him.

"Everything alright, Lance?" He asked casually. "Which poem are you going to choose?"

"Sure, I'm fine," Lance said. "I thought 'To Helen' would be good."

"Good choice, I'm looking forward to hearing it from you," Coran smiled and kept walking to the next person. 

Lance looked at his paper again to start reading the poem and immediately regretted everything he's ever said. He couldn't back out now, but he wasn't exactly keen on reciting this, with Keith in the room.

He tried to concentrate on the task and find a good emotion. A good opposite emotion. For a love poem. Angry? He didn't exactly want to sound like a madman. Happy? No, the poem is already happy. Confused? Also no. Sad. Sad sounded good.

He looked through the poem and imagined it, finding it easy to portray. 

"Alright guys!" Coran shouted. "Presentation time! Everyone come sit in the audience, except Emily, you go first."

Emily, a freckled blonde, groaned, but stayed in the middle of the stage and waited for everyone to sit.

"And imagine the room is full, don't just look at us. Maybe try to focus on Keith over there," Coran suggested, pointing to Keith who looked up in confusion. "That's a good idea, Coran, you're so smart. Everyone focus on Keith when performing!"

This just worsened Lance's situation by 500%. He tried not to panic and focus on Emily, who was reciting Goethe's Erl-King. He chewed on his inner cheek, listening to the girl tell the tale of a sick child and his father, travelling and struggling, in the most enthusiastic and happy voice. She looked at Keith but also at the other imaginary viewers, not impressed by the boy in black in the upper ranks.

"Reaches the court with toil and dread./ The child he held in his arms was dead! Haha!" She finished and grinned, earning applause from her peers. 

"Good job," Coran praised. "Now who's next…"

_ Please not me Please not me Please not me Pleas- _

"Lance!"

_ Of course. _

Lance stood up, the sheet of paper clenched in his hand, walking up to the stage. He didn't know why he could flirt with people all he wanted without batting an eye, but reciting this love poem to someone he barely knew was this much of a challenge.

He positioned himself in the middle of the stage, looked at Allura who gave him a thumbs up and then at Keith. Who was already looking at him. With the slightest hint of a smile on his face.

Lance cleared his throat and lifted the paper in front of him. Then raising his eyebrows in a devastated manner and raised his voice. "Helen, thy beauty is to me/Like those Nicéan barks of yore."

He already wanted to die.

Keith rose his eyes further, but leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms and looking more attentive.

Lance kept going, making his voice quiver and looking frantically around the room, but then looking at Keith again for the last verse.

"Lo! in yon brilliant window-niche/How statue-like I see thee stand," Lance said, raising his trembling hand towards Keith who wasn't looking cockily at Lance anymore. He had furrowed his brows. "The agate lamp within thy hand!/ Ah, Psyche, from the regions which/ Are Holy-Land!" Lance's voice broke and he let his hands fall to his sides, shoulders droopy and lips pressed together. He remained like this for a second or two before he broke character and smiled at his applauding friends. He looked at Keith for a short moment and noticed him clapping too, his cocky smile back.

Lance rolled his eyes and jumped off the stage to sit next to Allura again. She stretched her fist out for him to bump against and patted his shoulder as encouragement. Lance rubbed his eyes and smiled at her as a thank you.

Up next was Dizzy, a short and pudgy hijabi who was most of the time angry. Lance watched the people come and go, perform and accept their applause before they went on to the next exercise and eventually finished their practice for today.

"Remember guys, next Friday you'll be deciding on the play for this year," Coran told them while they packed their things and getting ready to leave. "Have a nice weekend!"

The students returned that and left the auditorium, ready for the weekend.

"You did well," Allura told Lance. "Considering, you know."

"Considering Keith was there, I know. You can say it, I don't have a crush," Lance defended himself, walking with his friend to his bike. 

"No, no, I know," Allura said, raising her hands but chuckling. "Still you've got a tiny thing for him."

"I do," Lance whined and unlocked his bike, pushing it to the gate.

"Shiro's picking me up in a few minutes, so I'm gonna stay here," Allura said and hugged Lance. "Have a nice weekend!"

"You too," Lance said and left her, starting to push his bike up the hill.

He was halfway up when he noticed his shoelaces were loose, so he lowered himself on one knee and tied it again when he saw feet approaching him. He looked up and saw Keith standing before him, one hand on his hip.

"What are you doing here?" Lance asked him as he got up again.

"Same as you, duh. Going home. You coming or what?" Keith asked and started walking. Hastily Lance pushed his bike to catch up with Keith, still wondering why he was going this way.

"What were you doing in the auditorium today?" Lance asked, curious.

Keith shrugged and kicked a stone in front of him. "Got detention, but the teacher supervising me was sick, and Mr Coran is her substitute. So I had to chill with him somehow after school."

First week and he already got detention, huh.

"I liked it, you know," Keith said. Before Lance could ask what he meant, Keith continued. "Your version of 'To Helen'. I know you were supposed to turn the feeling around, but it still fit."

Lance had to take a few seconds to be able to answer. Keith just complimented his acting and he  _ liked  _ it. "Thanks… It was kind of weird, having to address you, though," Lance chuckled, feeling very awkward, but Keith didn't seem to notice. He cleared his throat. "How do you like our school so far?" 

Keith looked around as they walked. "Good. I mean, there is nothing worse than my old school. Snobby teachers and Republicans here and there and bullies. Bullies everywhere." 

There was a small pause, where Lance didn't know what to say, or rather if he could say it.

"Is that why you left?"

"Because of the bullies? Yeah. But they didn't bully me, though. I happened to be in physics class with a young boy, his parents are from Sri Lanka. Because of his age, his size and his heritage he got bullied badly, and I stood up once for him and now I'm here."

Lance couldn't help but stare. To him, Keith was a hero.

"It was a dumb thing to do, but I had to. I don't know," Keith said and kicked another pebble. "You kinda don't wanna be a minority there."

"It was the right thing to do, if that helps," Lance said, looking away. "Is Joseph Beuys High that bad?"

"Yeah," Keith huffed. "What about you, though, you don't look so white yourself."

"I'm Cuban," Lance said proudly, smiling. "A hundred per cent. What about you? White American?"

Keith shook his head. "Half white half Korean. But white passing, as you noticed. But yeah, back to your question, I like the classes here. They're easier and stuff. Except for European History, that's driving me insane."

"I can help you with that!" Lance blurted out before he could do anything, though he couldn't help but notice how Keith swerved around his heritage. Lance would regret what he'd say then: "We kind of have a study group, Hunk, Pidge and me. They suck at history. I can help you too."

Keith looked at him, unbelievingly, but when he saw Lance beaming, he smiled too. "That would be really nice, thank you. Actually, I gotta leave you now, this is my street," he said, pointing to a smaller street that opened up next to them. "Have a nice weekend!"

"You too," Lance said, still taken aback and watched Keith walk along the street before mounting his bike and rushing through the streets, hollering.

**Lance:** GUYSKDLFJSKDL

**Hunk:** omg what

**Lance:** Half Korean, switched schools bc he beat up Nazis, likes my acting and SUCCS AT HISTORY SO WE HAVE A NEW STUDYGROUP MEMBER

**Pidge:** what study group we never study

**Pidge:** wait are we talking about Keith?

**Hunk:** How did you get the information? did you TALK? tell us e v e r y t h i n g

**Lance:** AAAAAAAAAAAAAA okay listen, today in drama…


	2. II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Keith has to be taken care of by his new friendsies

Lance's weekend was saved. He immediately checked the exam calendar for the next history exam, discovering that it was in fact in about three weeks. 

_ Amen to the person who decided that the history exams are the first ones in the semester. _

He had already started looking from the ideal time when the study group meetings were going to be, deciding that Thursdays were good. Or Mondays. He had to talk to Pidge and Hunk about it. 

Over the weekend he started his work in his uncle's restaurant again, even if it killed him, but he needed the money as he was saving for college. Also, he just wanted to have some money to spend it on stuff he liked.

But throughout the whole weekend, he was excited for Monday morning, first period physics. He never would've thought that he'd ever be excited about physics, but life surprised him every day.

When Sunday evening rolled around, he packed his backpack and decided on wearing something more extravagant the next day, something he didn't wear in quite some time. He looked through his wardrobe and found a floral button up shirt he hadn't worn in months. Together with this, he chose a black vest and his jeans shorts, since it was still warm outside. He had noticed that Keith liked jeans vests too, but in Lance's opinion, it suited Keith much more than him. He didn't even know what his style was, it was just a bunch of random items of clothing he happened to like. Keith, on the other hand, had a punk style with some metal vibes. He knew what he was doing.

Lance sighed and put the clothes on his chair before getting ready for bed.

 

The next morning he gladly jumped out of the bed, ready to face the day. In the mirror he noticed how his hair had gotten a little too long for his liking, so he quickly fixed it by putting a hair clipper to hold it back from falling into his face.

Joyfully Lance exited the house, almost forgetting to pick up Pidge on his way, enjoying the cool air that danced across his face and through his hair.

When he got to the physics rooms he already saw Keith sitting on the ground, leaned against the wall, the hood of his hoodie covering his hair and his eyes closed.

Lance stood still when he saw him but then continued to approach the boy on the ground, who opened one eye and closed it again after seeing Lance. "Mornin'." 

"Good morning," Lance said, sitting down next to Keith. "So, I've talked to Pidge and Hunk about the study group…"

"The what?" Keith croaked, voice still rough. "Oh, that one. Yeah?"

"I, uh, they say it's cool, and also we'd like to start next week since the exam is pretty soon already," Lance explained uncomfortably, watching the people who passed them shoot quick glances at them and then proceeding to mind their business. "So, are you in? We're free on Mondays and Thursdays, so it's up to you which day you choose."

"Oh," Keith said and lifted his head from the wall, looking at Lance with furrowed brows. "I don't mind which day. Wait no, I have P.E. on Mondays. So Thursday is good."

Lance beamed, glad that it was official now. "Great! I'll let them know," he smiled. 

"Thanks," Keith said and leaned against the wall again, closing his eyes.

"Rough weekend?" Lance asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

"Boss just wanted me to help him which ended up getting really late," Keith said, yawning. "Mechanics, tch."

"Oh," Lance said. "I'll wake you up when the teacher's there." 

"You're the man," Keith murmured sleepily. 

Lance had now the chance to stare at him, which of course was creepy, but he didn't exactly care. He noticed the bridge of Keith's nose being tiny and curved, his eyebrows well shaped, even if natural. He also noticed how Keith's neutral face was a frown.

"Quit staring at me," Keith grumbled.

"I wasn't- sorry," Lance apologized after realizing there was no point in arguing. He averted his eyes, watching the people passing by until the teacher came around. "Ugh. Wake up."

"On it," Keith slurred but did not make any effort to actually make a move.

"Keith," Lance said, already on his feet, ready to leave the half-asleep boy. He softly kicked his foot, but Keith didn't react anymore. "Fuck, dude."

Lance threw Keith's bag over his shoulder and then took the boy's hands and yanked him up, which proved as almost impossible, but he managed.

"Ah, fuck, I'm awake, I'm awake," Keith yawned and rubbed his eyes, taking back his bag again. "I don't need your help."

That being said, he promptly knocked his shoulder against the door frame when he tried to enter the room, cussing under his breath. Lance prepared himself for a long period of physics.

 

Lance was happier than anything when it ended, though, his head fuming from uncountable attempts to understand the subject. He glanced towards Keith, who was still wearing an angry frown and looking down on his schedule, making Lance feel kind of sorry for the guy.

Their ways parted when Lance headed to a subject he didn't share with Keith, giving him a chance to think about something else than Keith. It already sounded pathetic.

That's when he was reminded of the voting for the play, which was this week. He really wished that Romeo and Juliet was going to be the play they'll choose in the end, even though Emilia Galotti didn't sound that bad either.

The minutes ticked by agonizingly slowly, and he thought about what he'd do in recess since Pidge and Hunk had to organize things for a parallel meeting for the IT club to not let it drown in all the fuss about the rescheduling of all the clubs. 

When recess finally rolled around he decided to just sit down in the grass on a tiny slope that was on the big patch of grass at the side of the schoolyard, just enjoying the last degrees of warmth summer had to give. 

Just as he sat down, opening the book he was currently reading and humming the tune of a song he had forgotten the title of, he was startled by someone throwing their bag violently next to him, then collapsing on it, using it as a pillow. 

"Keith, are you okay," Lance asked after recovering from his minor heart attack.

"Hmmh," Keith answered muffled, not bothering to elaborate further.

Lance wasn't convinced in the slightest bit, but he let the tired boy be, as he continued reading and humming.

Keith stirred a little every few minutes, making Lance stop humming and then slowly continue until eventually, Keith changed his sleeping position to face Lance, which shut the reading boy up completely.

They spent the entire time like this, enjoying the warmth and the atmosphere until the bell rang, announcing the beginning of class, soon enough.

"Keith, wake up," Lance tried to wake the sleeping boy, but, again, he wouldn't move. He dared to touch his shoulder and move him gently. "Keeiiithh."

"Hmm," Keith growled back, still not moving. 

"C'mon, class is starting, get up or do you want me to carry you?"

"That would be amazing, actually," Keith answered sarcastically, while Lance packed his things together.

"Not happening, now get up," Lance demanded and kicked against Keith's feet again, which woke the boy up completely.

The rest of the day dragged itself like this, Lance shooing Keith from one room to the other, and when the final bell rang, Lance was sure he wouldn't let Keith go like this to P.E. 

"C'mon, let's go home," Lance said to Keith who was leaning on his arm that was propped up on the table.

"I still have school, I can't go," Keith said, yawning deeply.

"I can't let you walk around like a corpse like this, so I'd suggest we both go home now." Lance crossed his arms and waited, until eventually, Keith stood up, the dark circles under his eyes emphasizing the death stare he gave Lance. "Doesn't your boss have mercy or something?"

"You wish," Keith said, dragging his feet across the floor.

"Ugh," Lance just said, getting his bike and pushing it next to Keith out of school.

They slowly walked in silence, Lance noticing after a while that Keith was holding onto the bike's carrier for support.

Lance climbed on his bike and hung his bag on the handle, turning around to Keith. "Hop on. You'll be home faster."

Keith looked at him in utter confusion, not doing anything. "What? No."

"Don't test me," Lance threatened and patted the carrier. "Come on, I mean I already know the way. Roughly."

He would've thought that convincing Keith would take longer, but apparently, he was even less keen on arguing than Lance, so he positioned himself on the bike and Lance kicked the pedals slowly but surely, noticing how much heavier than Pidge Keith was.

When he got faster he felt Keith holding onto his shirt, making him smirk maybe a little bit. Lance made a turn into the street Keith had gone in a few days ago, slowing down a little, looking around. 

"Where to, now?" 

It took Keith a few seconds to respond, but he looked over Lance's shoulder and said, "All the way down the street to the last house."

When they arrived, Keith got down and thanked Lance.

"It's nothing. Just promise me you'll sleep a little," Lance joked.

"Don't worry about that," Keith chuckled and waved Lance goodbye as he took off again.

 

As Lance rushed past the unfamiliar houses he tried to find his way back home without having to go back to where Keith's and his way usually parted. 

When the streets started to look familiar again his mood was immediately killed by a few people in his way.

"Who do we have here?" The guy in front of him asked him, grinning at his friends. 

"Fuck off, Lotor," Lance said, slowly backing away out of the scene. His heart was pounding in his ears.

The teens laughed. "Wow, we haven't seen each other in so long, and you greet me like this?" 

Lance was starting to seriously worry now, looking for a way to get past the group of thugs. Through them wouldn't work. Going back wouldn't work either, he'd take too long to turn around. 

"Didn't your last encounter with Mason teach you not to fuck with us again," Lotor growled, stepping closer to Lance.

He shivered. He remembered the last party he'd been to, and how he definitely didn't want to see any of those people ever again. He brought up the last what was left of his bravery. "It just taught me what a bunch of disgusting assholes you are," he spat and used the moment in which they were surprised to kick into the pedals and rush past the idiots who were trying to grab him, but he got away. 

They tried running after him but he went as fast as he could as if his life depended on it. He panted, desperate to get away from them and after he was sure they were out of sight he turned to the way that led home. 

He ran up the stairs, fumbling with the keys. He swiftly returned his mother's greeting and let out a cry of success when he arrived in his room, letting himself fall face first on his bed.

He stayed like this forever, his heart rate decreasing, breathing normalizing, goosebumps vanishing. Slowly he sat up.

**Lance:** I think Lotor's still pissed

**Pidge:** what makes you say that you didn't meet him, did you?

**Lance:** him and his entire gang

**Pidge:** holy shit are you okay, what happened? 

**Lance:** I dropped Keith off at his home (I'll explain later) and they were just chilling there in the next street, I barely got away

**Pidge:** that's super weird. I'm glad you're okay

**Lance:** me too, man

**Lance:** *buddy. pal. homie. homeperson.

**Pidge:** got it, nerd

Lance was about to lock his phone again when he got a message from someone else.

**Nyma:** Hey Lance! Our parents are gone for Halloween and we're going to throw a party. You're invited! Bring Hunk and Pidge, they were much fun last time :P

Lance was going to think about it for a little longer but quickly made up his mind.

**Lance:** Sure thing! thanks for the invitation

He thought about the day, staring at the ceiling. He remembered Keith.

They had known each other for a few days, but Lance felt like it was much longer. He smiled internally at Keith's sleepy behaviour that day. He wanted to know more about him, or at least talk to him more. He didn't exactly know what Keith thought of him and it was driving him crazy.

**Lance:** Do you guys think we could start the study group this week? yall are my wingman and wingperson

**Lance:** pls

**Hunk:** oh my god I just read about the lotor thing. wth

**Hunk:** @ the study group thingie - I got time. lets get lance laid

**Pidge:** yea I wanted to improve anyway. now you gotta text mullet boy ☺

Lance hadn't thought about that. Pidge was right. He felt weird at the thought, even a bit nervous, but he mentally slapped himself. Get it together, man.

He inhaled deeply and changed the chat.

**Lance:** Hey! Lance here. Would you want to start the study group earlier, as in this week?

No. He deleted that, he wasn't going to send that.

**Lance:** Hey, Hunk and Pidge would be up to start with the study group this week already. Would that be okay with you? -Lance

That was more like it. He didn't want to drive himself crazy with waiting for the reply, so he locked his phone, getting off the bed. He really needed a shower. 

He picked out some comfortable clothes before jogging to the bathroom and jumping into the shower. 

He was in a good mood, singing and letting the water rinse off the sweat and stress when he decided to listen to some music. He shook off the water from his hand and unlocked his phone when a shriek escaped him. He clapped a hand over his mouth.

"Lanny, are you okay? Should I get Mama?" A small voice came from outside. 

"I'm okay, Sara," he huffed, calming down again. "Don't worry."

"Okay…"

He was such an idiot. He had forgotten he had texted Keith, so his heart skipped a beat when he had seen his name flash up on the screen.

"It's just an answer to my text," he told himself. "Stop fanboying."

He opened the message. 

**Keith:** Yeah, fine by me.

_ Fuck. Yes. _

 

He couldn't wait for Thursday to roll around.

"Quit it, Lance," Allura said, swatting his arm. It was Wednesday afternoon and she was using Lance's back as an underlay for the sheet she was writing on. Today was the day they had to vote on the play that was being chosen, but Lance was giving Allura a hard time with his constant impatient movement. 

"I'm sorry," he said and tried to control himself as best as he could. When she was finished she turned around and moved her hair to the front to give him space to write.

"Romeo & Juliet" he wrote in his cursive writing and together they handed in their sheets. 

He was the first one to exit the auditorium and hurried home, ready to prepare the study group's afternoon. He didn't even know what his friends had problems with, but he didn't care, he read through all of his notes again and wrote down the pages he could need on a separate sheet of paper.

**Lance:** excited

**Pidge:** we know

**Lance:** :3

**Pidge:** don’t you :3 me

**Lance:** :3

**Hunk:** :3

 

"Morning, Pidge!" Lance hollered. He beamed at his friend as he approached. Pidge raised their eyebrows but smirked nonetheless.

They raced past the houses, Lance noticed that the air was slightly cooler and less humid than usual.

The entire day Lance was in a good mood, not too bubbly, but visibly happy.

Lance barely survived the last period that day, annoying the hell out of Hunk and Pidge, but they were used to it and put up with it. 

He ran out of the room after class ended and waited outside for Keith, trying to suppress his smile. 

Before he could say anything though Keith approached him, with a heavy look on his face. 

"Give me ten minutes and I'm with you guys," he announced, walking past Lance. 

Irritated and a bit worried Lance turned around and walked after Keith, who walked to the smokers' spot. "Are you alright?" He asked.

Keith nodded, getting a pack of cigarettes out of his hoodie. He sat down on a bench.

"And you smoke," Lance added, not really a question. He didn't despise it, hell, it was even appealing in some cases (like Keith's) but he didn't like the smell of most brands.

"Yeah," Keith said muffled with the cigarette between his lips, lighting it up. "Problem?" 

He let out a few smaller clouds before taking a real drag and letting the smoke slowly out of his mouth. 

Lance noticed that this was one of the better tasting brands. "No, actually I tried it a few times myself."

"Didn't like it?" 

"I did but it's an expensive hobby," he said, sitting down next to Keith. He closed his eyes with every cloud Keith exhaled, enjoying it. "Rough day again?"

The smoking boy shook his head, taking another drag. "Nah. Sometimes it's just…"

"Needed."

Keith nodded.

The boys sat in silence, watching the people going home one by one until Keith had finished his cigarette. They enjoyed a few moments until they got up and joined Pidge and Hunk at the benches on the campus.

"So," Lance said, taking his folder out. "Where do we start?" 

 

It was a long noon. Europe's reorganization in all its aspects wasn't something you explain in a jiffy, but Lance managed to wipe the big question marks out of his friends' faces. Pidge and Hunk sat next to each other making Keith and Lance share the bench opposite from them, but Lance had gotten up to visually and enthusiastically demonstrate the historical events, making his friends laugh or shake their heads. 

During their time together Lance witnessed Keith warming up a little, occasionally laughing too or even making a joke himself here and there. Lance was also beyond glad that he and his friends got along since it would be obviously more difficult to balance between the two parties if they didn't.

By the time they finished, it was very late afternoon and they were all tired, so they agreed to finish today's tutoring lesson. 

Hunk's way home was the other way so he left them first, waving them goodbye while Pidge put on their roller skates. 

They walked to the school's gate and Pidge hopped on Lance's seat so he could push them up the hill, Keith accompanying them.

"I gotta say today has been a big help for me," Pidge said, leaning on the seat. "What about you, Keith?"

"Me? Oh, yeah me too. I actually understood things now, a lot better actually. Thanks, Lance."

Lance puffed his chest, but he just grinned at Keith. "You're welcome."

When they said goodbye to Keith, Pidge got off the bike and held onto it instead. Lance sat down and got faster, his best friend behind him and hope for the future in his heart. 

They arrived at Pidge's house and he remembered something. "Hey, would you and Hunk come with me to a Halloween party?" He asked while Pidge got off his bike.

"You know what happened at the last one," Pidge said, crossing their arms. 

"I know, but it will be fun! Please? Rolo and Nyma's parents are out of town." 

Eyes rolled, smirks were exchanged. "Alright, idiot. But don't blame me for anything that might happen."

"Psh," Lance made. "I never do."

The next morning Lance was happy to be greeted by Coran instead of his teacher. He wasn't really up for class, anyways.

"Hello, class, no I'm not here as a substitute, I'm here to tell you that you need to help me carry a few things in the auditorium, thank you very much! Follow me!"

Actually, class didn't sound half bad.

Coran actually made them carry the things from the old play to the theatre basement where all the other requisites were stored. It didn't seem like much, but it was endless running between the rooms. 

They had thrown away all the light things when they started with the heavier stuff that required more than one person to carry.

The first few rounds Lance carried the big rods with Hunk, careful not to hurt anyone or themselves, but after the fourth pole they carried Lance was done for. He spotted Pidge and Keith sitting in the audience on the seats, talking, and decided to join them.

"Hello, start working, lazy," Pidge joked as he let himself fall on a seat in front of them. 

"Fuck off," he huffed, tugging at his shirt and letting it go to create a little wind to cool down. "Why don't you work a little? What about you, Keith?" 

The two looked at him unimpressed, but then Keith sighed and got up, jumping over the seats. "If you can't do it on your own…"

Lance knew it was a joke, but he jumped up after Keith. "No, I can!" 

Together they started carrying the heavier boxes, huffing under their weight but holding on. Keith went first, walking backwards, with Lance leading him the way.

"Look back there's a set of stairs coming… those are the last two steps, 2, 1, okay no more… hold on I gotta adjust my grip…" 

They arrived in the basement, about to enter the room when Keith passed through the doorway, not knowing that there was a slight bump and then - three stairs.

"Ah-! Fuck!" He exclaimed, falling backwards, trying to catch himself but sliding off and landing on the floor. The box became heavier in an instant, gravity pulling at it and Lance.

"Fuck, Keith are you okay?" He immediately scrambled to his feet, ignoring his scraped knee and bruised knuckles from the box pressing them on the floor.

The boy on the ground groaned and lifted his head, rubbing the back of it while scrunching his nose. He sat up. "Yeah, I think so, but- ow." He angled his legs, hissing. "I think I hurt my foot or something."

"Oh-oh," Lance said, stretching out his hands to Keith, who gladly took them.  "Let's get you to the nurse, just to check."

"I believe it's nothing bad," Keith said but hissed when he tried to step on his right foot.

"I'll believe for both of us," Lance mocked and went on Keith's right side, grabbing him by his waist. "C'mon, hold on."

Together like this, they made their way to the school nurse, who quickly took a look at his ankle and then vanished to get a few things.

Lance looked devastated at Keith's foot, making him chuckle. "Hey, I'm alright, don't you see?"

The nurse came back with a cooling pack, a bandage and some cream, first smearing it on Keith's ankle before wrapping it up and giving Keith the cooling pack.

"Yeah, I see," Lance said sarcastically.

"You'll have to cool this the whole day, also when you're home. Lie down, elevate your foot on something, don't pressure it too much," the nurse explained. "You also might want to get crutches, but that's up to you. Your ankle's just sprained though, so it won't be necessary."

"Coran will kill us for being away so long," Keith said, loosening up his shoelaces so the shoe would still fit on his wrapped up foot. He wore black converse,  as opposed to Lance's white ones, he noticed.

"I mean we have proof that you fell," Lance said, motioning to Keith's foot. "But hey, see the positive side - it's Friday. You can rest all weekend, it will be a lot better on Monday, I'm sure."

"You're right," Keith chuckled and together with Lance's help they left the nurse’s room.

It was quite a way back to the auditorium but they took all their time. Keith winced or hissed with every step and Lance had to hold himself back not to wince with him.

When he was sure no one was around he just scooped Keith up and ran with him the entirety of the corridor they were in before putting him down again. 

"What the fuck was that," Keith asked horrified.

"Lance express. We'll be there faster," Lance said, laughing. 

When they arrived in the auditorium almost everything was clean and empty, and Coran was about to storm towards them, but when he noticed Keith's limping his expression changed.

"What happened?" 

"I just fell. Don't worry, the nurse took care of it," Keith explained, looking on the ground.

"We better sit him down," Lance said and dragged him away from Coran to the audience area. In a smooth motion, both fell on the seats, Keith stretching out his feet.

"Thank you," he said.

"Huh?" Lance asked, wondering if he meant it sarcastically for hurting him.

"Thanks for helping me," Keith mumbled, looking at the people who were still working.

Lance didn't know what to say. "Oh that. No problem," he brushed it off, scratching his neck. "That's what friends are for, right?"

Keith turned to look at Lance, and his face turned into a tiny disbelieving smile. "Yeah, I guess so."

The remaining minutes they spent commenting on the people rushing past them to get the job done or complain about the long day they'd have before they could enjoy the weekend.

"Hey, Keith, I have an idea how you can meet some cool people from around here," Lance said.

Keith looked at him, not very interested but listening. "I dunno, I know enough people. You, Pidge and Hunk are enough. I'm better off on my own anyway."

"Aw, come on, it will be fun! A friend of mine is throwing a Halloween party," Lance explained, trying to wipe away Keith scepticism away with his enthusiasm. "She and her brother throw the best parties."

"I know enough people," Keith said again, looking to the front.

"But the people don't know  _ you _ ," Lance insisted.

Keith shook his head. He seemed certain that he didn't want to come.

"Fine," Lance said. He wasn't giving up yet, but he needed a different way of approaching this topic. But he was already forming an idea in his head.

When it was time for them to go to the next class, Keith made an attempt to get up alone but failed miserably. Lance offered his hands and a little red and embarrassed Keith took them, leaning on Lance on the way out of the auditorium. Eventually, Pidge and Hunk joined them and Hunk gave Keith a pat on his shoulder as an apology for his pain but didn't let go of the boy's back. They walked like this through school, acting like this as if they were the best friends and not because otherwise, Keith couldn't walk at all without his new friends' help.

Pidge tried to lighten Keith's mood and distract him from the pain in his ankle. They walked in front of the three boys, talking about dumb things their brother did recently and making the guys laugh. Lance shot thankful glances at his friend.

Like this they undercover-carried Keith from one class to the other, sometimes even grabbing him from both sides, lifting his feet a few inches above the ground and running through the halls if they were running late. Pidge ran ahead of them with all of their bags in draped on them, holding open doors and making sure they had enough motivation.

"COME ON, IDIOTS, WE'RE GONNA  _ DIE  _ IF WE DON'T HURRY!"

Needless to say, they laughed the whole day. Keith protested every time they helped but they didn't care. By the end of their day Hunk and Pidge said their goodbye's first, heading home for a video game marathon at Hunk's house, leaving Lance and Keith back. Lance was about to say goodbye to Keith too, when he remembered - how was he going to go home?

Lance: tell Coran I had to bring Keith home - he broke his foot

Allura: kayoo, hurry

Allura: I'll keep u updated about the play

Lance: ily

He accompanied Keith to the gate with his bike, when he was asked, "Don't you have drama?"

"Yeah," Lance said, and patted his bike's seat, telling Keith to get on. "But how are you gonna go home - especially the hill here.

Keith lifted his hands and backed off. "I can't accept this, go back to school-"

"Either you hop on and I'll be back to school fast, or you walk for an hour and I accompany you. For an hour. Your choice."

He waited for Keith to do something, and he was visibly fighting with himself when he finally chose to get on the bike.

Lance leaned over and pushed the bike up the hill, Keith holding onto his shoulders. He tried to help a little by pushing himself off the floor every now and then, but it was not really helpful.

When they reached the top Lance was sweating and telling Keith to move to the carrier so he could sit on the bike himself. "Hold on tight, if I stop somewhere and lean on my left foot you won't be able to do the same and you'll fall."

He had expected Keith to just hold onto his sides, but the boy hugged him tightly, giving him an adrenaline shot and strength to ride the entire way to Keith's house in five minutes.

His bike came screeching to a halt and Lance was careful to lean to the left side when he stopped, waiting for Keith to get off. "You're welcome," he said, brushing the nonexistent dust off his shoulders.

"Thank you," Keith said, gripping the straps of his bag and looking to the ground. "For the entire day, actually. Tell Hunk and Pidge thank you, too."

Lance was taken aback but noticed how Keith seemed to be wanting to say something else too, but Lance turned around his bike and smiled at the other boy. "I better get to be going now," he said waving to Keith. "Have a nice weekend, and get well soon!" 

"You too, have a nice weekend I mean," Keith waved back unsurely. Lance took off.

\--------

**Allura:** Romeo and Juliet!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya again! Sooo, i thought I'd upload it now, bc I'm on a 3 week roadtrip. I won't upload in that time obviously, but when I get back yall get an update immediately
> 
> small information, I'm using the german education system as a reference here, Im from NRW, hiya, but idk the american system too well to write a fanfic around it. so dont be confused!  
> also i swear my grammar correction programme hates me lol i germanize everything, even if i have the programme editing takes sooooooo long bc of all those damn commas 
> 
> Tell me how you think it goes on, and i'll see you in 3 weeks! take care friendsss


	3. III

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The nuggets get closer. The first exam rolls around.

"What's the Triple Alliance?"

"An extension of the Dual Alliance…?"

Lance groaned. "And consisted of…?"

"Italy…" Hunk trailed off.

"Austria-Hungary and Germany, right?" Keith stepped in, helping Hunk out.

"Correct," Lance said, beaming at Keith. "The exam is in a week, I can't believe this."

They were sitting in McDonald's since it was raining, and Lance was sure his friends would go down in the exam. Keith was trying really hard, Lance had to admit, Pidge was doing okay and Hunk was lost. But Lance wasn't giving up.

"I'm going to get myself a coke, I need sugar," Pidge announced, leaving the boys alone.

"Yeah, I'm going to the bathroom. This is stressing me out," Hunk said, going after Pidge.

Keith put his face in his hands.

"You're doing well, you know," Lance said, doodling in his history notes. "Considering you didn't have the subject before."

"I'm doing a lot at home," Keith said muffled. "Gotta catch up somehow. I'm so fucking happy when we graduate."

"I like school," Lance said. "I mean the time with my friends. Also, drama is amazing."

"Hmm, yeah."

Keith got up, and stretched, lifting his hoodie at the action, giving Lance a sneak peek of his pale belly. Lance looked quickly away, not wanting Keith to notice him staring.

"Look, there's Pidge," Keith mumbled, getting a pack of cigarettes and a lighter out of his bag, putting them in his hoodie pocket. "I'm going for a smoke. Wanna join me?"

Lance looked out of the windows. It was still raining, but a walk outside would make him feel a little better. It was getting stuffy in here anyway.

He nodded and got up, quickly taking his jeans vest jacket with him.

"We're going for a walk, Pidge," Lance said, following Keith.

Pidge looked at Keith and when he passed them they looked at Lance, winking.

Lance smirked back. Pidge shook their head.

When they got outside it started pouring heavier than before, buckets and buckets emptied from the skies but standing under a part of the roof that extended over the building they didn't get wet.

Lance inhaled the rainy air, smiling. Keith's cigarette lit up and he took a deep drag.

"I haven't seen rain this heavy in a long time," Lance noticed, extending his hand to catch a few drops. He pulled up his sleeves to not get them wet. "Ever ran through it?"

"What?" Keith asked. 

"Who first is on the tree over there," Lance said, pointing to a tree on the other end of the sidewalk. Its branches hung low, almost low enough for Lance to touch without standing on tiptoes. "Three, two, one!"

And they ran.

They reached the tree at the same time, it was hard to tell who was first, but they arrived laughing, feeling the rain trickle down their necks.

"I was definitely first," Lance said, looking at the puddles around them.

"You're crazy," Keith huffed, seeming to not believe he just did that. "Also, I was. Holy shit, what are you doing."

Lance was, in fact, taking off his shoes. "Taking off my shoes, can't you see? The puddles are warm and I don’t want them to get wet."

Keith looked at the cigarette that was still in his hand. It was lit. He took another drag.

"Ever shotgunned?" He asked.

Lance got up, with both his shoes in his right hand. "Only weed."

"You smoke weed?" Keith asked, clearly surprised.

"Occasionally," Lance said shrugging, leaning against the tree. "Only on parties and stuff, though."

"Huh," Keith made, letting the smoke fill his lungs again. "So, what about it?" He lifted his cigarette, cocking his head.

Lance looked surprised but nodded his head. "Show me whatcha got."

Keith smirked and brought the cigarette to his lips, inhaling and waited for the taller boy to lower himself. When their noses barely touched Keith slowly exhaled out of his mouth.

"Only one more time," Lance said. 

"Why don't you do it?" Keith asked in a low voice, holding the cigarette in his direction.

Lance didn't take it, instead, he took a drag of it while Keith still held it, lips touching his fingers briefly.

He closed the distance between them, exhaling the smoke against Keith's lips who greedily took it in. Their lips touched ever so lightly, but they didn't kiss, not yet. Keith's breath shook.

The smoke had already passed between them, it was gone in the rain, but both of them remained in that position, waiting for the other's step. Both would do what the other would if one chose to pull away, they'd pull away too. If one chose to kiss the other, they'd return it. Both waited. Breathed. The smoke was long gone. 

"They're missing us, don't you think," Lance spoke against Keith's lips, knowing he'd hate himself later for letting this opportunity pass, but he'd hate himself even more if he rushed things.

Keith nodded almost unnoticeably, looking at Lance like a deer in the headlights. They didn't move.

After a second or two Lance turned and walked ahead back to McDonald's with his shoes in his hand, making sure to step into every puddle he came across. A grin sneaked on his face, endorphins rushing through his body. He leapt to the next puddle.

Keith followed Lance with his eyes, still too shaken to move. But Lance didn't see that. He got a glance at Lance's grin when the boy turned his head to the sky and stretched his tongue out. Slowly but surely Keith took off his shoes too.

 

The first exam, European History, was approaching and Lance knew he had done everything in his power to help his friends. He was confident his friends would do well, but with the exam came the entire exam phase. It would end with the end of October, everyone would have their last exams by mid-October, but Lance and Hunk still had to take Spanish in the week before Halloween.

Lance's planner was overflowing with study sessions and deadlines, such as handing in papers or signing up for Romeo Montague's role.

'Juliet Capulet - Allura Altea,' he wrote on the piece of paper that hung backstage of the auditorium. He grinned and handed the pen to Allura.

'Romeo Montague - Lance McClain,' she wrote in her bubbly writing. 

"I really hope you get the role," Lance said, putting the pen back into his bag.

"I hope you get it, too," she said, still looking at the paper. "I don't wanna be on stage with Tony or I don't know, Alex or something…"

"You know we eventually will have to kiss, right," Lance said, a little red.

Allura looked away from the paper. "I know that. But I'm okay with that," she said, walking with her friend to the audience area to wait for theatre to start. She sat down on one of the seats and crossed her long legs. She was wearing a pastel pink skirt and high knee socks, and Lance secretly wished he could pull that off too. But Halloween was coming soon, anyway… "I mean it's just for the play. We trust each other enough for that. Also, no one's gonna catch feelings anyway, we’re not middle schoolers, right?"

"You have my word," Lance laughed. "I've been leaning towards dudes recently anyways…" 

Allura chuckled. "I've noticed."

"Alright, kids!" Coran called from the stage. "Come on here, auditions are next week but until then I still have some fun things to do with you guys."

"Hey, let's audition together!" Allura suggested with twinkling eyes. "Then Coran sees how well we go together!"

"He already knows," Lance said, shoving her arm playfully. "But that's a good idea, I am up for it."

 

On his way home Lance took all his time because as soon as he'd arrive, he'd have to start studying physics. He should start earlier because it was by far his worst subject. He'd bomb the group chat with questions but he didn't care. He really needed to pass that subject. 

When he was home he called a quick greeting through the house before stopping in his tracks. 

"Hey Lance," Ana Sofia smiled at him, "I don't believe you and Mason have already met properly?"

This was bad. This was very very bad. 

"No, I don't think so," Mason at her side said. He smiled and reached out to shake Lance's hand. "Nice to meet you."

Lance was frozen for a second, but then caught himself. He thought he'd never have to see him outside of school again.

"Yeah," he stuttered, shaking Mason's hand with a tight grip. "Me too."

Ana looked happy for her boyfriend to meet her family, but Lance looked terrified. He looked at Mason who had the nerve to wink at him.

"I better go, I need to study," Lance stammered, letting go of Mason's hand and rushing past the couple. Memories flooded his mind and he tried his best not to let out a noise of disgust.

He ran up the stairs and opened the bathroom door, thoroughly washing his hands with soap and disinfectant, tears in his eyes.

This was very bad.

 

**Lance:** guys, Mason is in my house, Ana just made me shake his hand

**Lance:** there goes my sanity and my will to do shit for Physics

**Pidge:** that's it, I'm going on a murderous rampage

**Hunk:** Pidge no

**Hunk:** I am so sorry Lance. This is horrible. What about we have a sleepover tonight, we can help you with Physics

**Pidge** : yeeeeessssss ya'll are invited, come here. Matt will have Shiro over and probably Allura too 

**Pidge:** I need people to occupy the living room with

**Hunk:** omw

**Lance:** I'll tell my mom then I'll come. thanks guys

He packed his things into a sports bag, including his history notes because he knew he would be needing them and tiptoed down the stairs. He listened to the voices around the house - his sister was with Mason in the living room. Elena was with them. His mom was in the kitchen.

He passed the living room as quickly as possible and approached his mom.

"That smells good, Mama," he said, looking at the food she was making over her shoulder. She looked at him with raised eyebrows. "I was wondering, could I maybe go over to Hunk's house to study Physics and maybe have a sleepover…?"

He deliberately didn't say he was going to Pidge's because they were 'a girl' and somehow his mother liked Hunk more. He wondered if that was because of his lack of whiteness.

"Sure," she sighed shaking her head at nothing specific. "Have you said hello to Mason?"

"I sure have," Lance huffed and kissed his mom on the cheek. "Bye!"

Pidge's house wasn't that far away so he took his skateboard and jogged out of the house, excited for the day.

The way took him five minutes and when he arrived, Matt opened the door. "Oh no," he exclaimed.

"Well, gee, I'm not too happy to see you either," Lance joked and entered the house.

"Pidge is in the living room. They told you to come to occupy it, right?" Matt asked.

"Maybe," Lance said and after making sure the Holt's parents weren't home he put his skateboard down and rushed through the halls. The Holt siblings were both very much annoyed that their parents didn't even allow running in the halls, much less skating or roller skating. The siblings always welcomed skaters into their home.

"Whaddup, bitch," Pidge said. They were lying on the couch, head down and feet up on the backrest, holding a controller in their hand. 

"Are you still trying to play that upside down?" Lance asked, smoothly cruising through the living room and letting himself fall next to his friend.

"Yes, and someday I am going to make it," Pidge said, rolling around and sitting up normally. "But I don't think that today is that day. C'mon, show me your physics stuff."

Throughout the next few hours Hunk eventually joined in and together they tried to explain physics to Lance, and even though it was difficult and incredibly nerve-wracking, he felt like it was actually helping, at least a little bit.

By the time they called for a break, the doorbell rung.

"Lance!" Allura called as he saw him and ran over to him to give him a hug. "What do you have there? Oh, Physics! Interesting."

"What!" Lance exclaimed in disbelief.

"Hey Hunk, hey Pidge Bitch," Allura greeted the others, hugging Pidge too. It was really weird how close they were, even though they weren't even exactly friends. Pidge knew her though Matt who knew Shiro who knew Allura. And still, they got along really well.

"Oh, Physics," Shiro chimed as he reached the party. "Howsit going?"

"Horrible," Lance huffed. "But at least a little better than before."

"Eh, don't be sad," Shiro said. "I was shit in physics too, chemistry was more of my subject. I'm sure you have yours, too."

"Oh yes," Hunk said. "European History is his thing. He totally saved Pidge's, Keith's and my butts."

Shiro raised his eyebrows. "Oh hey, you know Keith?" He asked.

"A little," Lance said, remembering the last tutoring. "We share a few classes…"

"That's nice, I'm happy to hear he found some friends of the right kind," Shiro said and smiled. Man, what wasn't perfect about this man, Lance asked himself.

"Yeah…" Lance said. He took his physics notes and shut his books, letting out a defeated huff. "I'm done for today."

"Yes! Fuck physics, let's do something fun," Allura exclaimed and clapped her hands.

In no time they had gotten mattresses from all over the house, even the inflatable ones, and placed them in the living room. They ran to get pillows and blankets, and soon they had a big fluffy nest where they threw themselves on.

Pidge sat on the edge of an inflatable mattress, wrapped in a blanket, when Shiro decided to let himself fall on the mattress too, launching Pidge into the air.

They landed with a thud on the other mattress, making the others laugh and Shiro apologize at least a thousand times.

Soon the six teens had arranged themselves in a circle, sitting comfortably in their blankets.

"So," Allura went, leaning into Shiro, who was leaning into Matt. “I heard Mason is dating your sister, huh?" 

Everyone turned to Lance and he leaned forward until his face hit the pillow in front of him, giving off a muffled groan.

"Yes, she is," he said, getting up again.

"Is there anything we can do?" Shiro asked, and the tone of his question, the pitch of his voice sent Lance back to the night of the last party.

Lance had sat shaking on the ground, teary-eyed, wild hair and completely sober again. 

'Is there anything I can do for you?' Shiro had asked, crouching in front of Lance and holding his shoulder. Lance had shaken his head. He knew he was out of danger, Mason was long gone, but it took him longer to calm down. Way longer.

"No, thank you," Lance said, hugging the blanket closer. "Unless you can bring her to open her eyes or something, no."

"That's really shitty," Matt said, getting up. "I'm gonna get some beer."

"Mason's a real asshole, I don't even know why she went for him. He's not even  _ polite _ ," Allura said, wondering.

"I have biology with him and he's the biggest idiot ever," Shiro said, shaking his head. "Hell, I have biology with Ana Sofia. How can she not be repelled by his stupidity?"

"Beats me," Lance said. Pidge patted his shoulder. They brushed a hairstreak behind their ear and hugged a pillow, leaning their chin on it.

Lance noticed their tiny ear and smiled internally. Pidge had recently gotten their third helix piercing, all three were aligned in a triangle - one red, one blue and one yellow stud were forming the edges. Lance loved it because Pidge had gotten them for each of their family members. 

"Here ya go," Matt said and handed Lance a beer. He gladly took the opened bottle and took a swig.

"Where are your parents at?" Hunk asked.

"Some weird dinner, I don't even know," Matt said as he opened the other beers with a bottle opener.

"It's supposed to get late though," Pidge said.  "It's super fancy and afterwards they'll go to the theatre, I wasn't listening."

"Huh," Allura said. "Anyways, who wants to do something fun?"

 

For the rest of the night, they played games like Never Have I Ever or Truth or Dare until eventually Shiro and Allura decided to go home. The friends said their goodbyes and went back to the living room. Matt wished them a good night before going to his room, leaving the three friends for the night. They made themselves comfortable and snuggled up beneath the blankets before shutting off the lights, but staying up talking.

"The world is such a wild place," Pidge said, scrolling on their phone.

"True," Lance admitted, looking up to the ceiling. He was lying on his back, hands crossed under his head.

"Man," Pidge said, "I can't believe we're all made out of the same cosmic dust, and so many coincidences happen every day, people meet who wouldn't if the circumstances had been only  _ slightly  _ different…"

Lance and Hunk nodded, thinking Pidge was going somewhere deeper.

"Like, I can't believe you kissed Keith."

There it was. 

"I did not!" Lance exclaimed, hitting his friend with a pillow with such a velocity that he knocked them off the mattress. They crawled on it again, laughing and wiping their tears. "Our lips only slightly touched. We didn't kiss."

"Yet," Hunk and Pidge said in unison.

"…Yet," Lance admitted. He laid down again, looking at the ceiling.

"How was it?" Pidge asked after some time. They were laying on their belly, upper body supported by their elbows, looking at Lance.

"I don't know," he said truthfully. "It's so hard to describe. I didn't want to rush things."

"What a smart kid you are," Hunk said.

"It was like we were both… Do you know that when you nock an arrow, pulling back the bow's string? Yeah, that was like it. We're both an archer's bow."

"Elaborate, please," Pidge said. It was obvious that they couldn't relate, but Lance didn't blame them. They were still questioning, wondering if they were aromantic, asexual, or on the a-spectrum at all, and that was okay. So he tried his best to help them.

"I think if I had kissed him, he would have kissed back. But I pulled away, and he did, too." Lance thought some more. "I think we were both the reflection of an archer that stands in front of a mirror. We'd do whatever our opposite would do."

"That's fucking deep, man," Hunk said. "Why didn't you just kiss him? Apparently, both of you were ready."

"I've known him for a few weeks, Hunk," Lance said, making a gesture like swatting a fly away.

"You're so ready to make out with anyone who's hot at parties," Pidge interjected, raising their eyebrows.

"But it's different with Keith," Lance said, already feeling his cheeks to grow hotter. "I know that the partygoers are ready to make out. He is a  _ gentleman _ ." 

Pidge snorted.

"You gotta be patient and wait for the right moment. So you don't fuck it up. It didn't seem right to kiss him, he was just thrown in a new environment, let's give him time to adjust."

"Wow, you apparently know what you're talking about," Hunk mocked.

Lance threw his hands in the air. "So? He doesn't even go to parties, he's such a softie," he huffed, well knowing that Keith's exterior might suggest otherwise.

"How do you know?" Hunk asked.

Lance turned and buried his face in his pillow. "I invited him." 

"You what!" Pidge exclaimed.

"Calm down, okay!" Lance said, lifting his head from the pillow. "He said he wouldn't come, don't lose your marbles."

"Awh that's sad," Pidge said. "But you'll have countless opportunities to be with him, no worries."

Hunk nodded, then yawned.

"Same, Hunk," Pidge said, yawning too, laughing.

"I just hope I can somehow convince him to come to the party, not only do I want to be there with him, I also want the people to meet him. They'll love him!"

"I think that's not really his scene," Hunk said. He snuggled under his blanket and pulled it up to his nose. "He'd be uncomfortable there, just let it go, Lance."

 

Lance didn't let it go. Or rather, the thought didn't let him go. He tried to think of ways to get Keith to the party, but he couldn't find any. He couldn't bribe or blackmail him, either.

The week started off stress induced; even though he understood physics a little better it mentally exhausted him. Also, he had the feeling that Keith was more or less avoiding him after their almost kiss.

Needless to say, Lance was stressed. The history exam was approaching as well as the auditions and the week after that every single exam in all his subjects was just thrown at him.

But he took all of his strength and stepped into school the day of the history exam.

'I can do it' he repeated in his head. He walked up to the room to find his friends sitting in their seats with nervous faces, even Keith looked unnerved. Lance tried not to look at him, he wasn't going to let himself get distracted throughout the exam.

Unfortunately, this is exactly what happened. He kept looking at Keith that was sitting in the row in front of him, wondering what he was thinking. He shook his head ever so often and focused on the text he had to read, and even though he wanted to look at Keith, he managed to concentrate. 

Lance finished in the last ten minutes, giving him enough time to read through his answers. He peeked over to his friends who were writing frantically, their hair low in their faces. He silently prayed that they would get a good grade.

He got up, turned in his paper and left the room, not before waving to his friends and giving them a thumbs up. 

He strolled through the school and exited the building. He approached the auditorium and took a walk around it, sitting down behind it. He took a deep breath and rested his head on his knees. He knew he did well, but sitting in an exam for so long was really exhausting. He took a breath for more fresh air.

Was he really sure he had done well? 

A breath, fresh air. 

What about Pidge, or Hunk? He knew they'd given their best. 

A breath, fresh air, mixed with a little cigarette smoke.

Smoke?

Lance looked up. No one was there, but after a second Keith appeared from behind the corner, his face hard like stone, letting smoke out of his nose but stopping abruptly when he saw Lance. 

"What are you doing here," Lance asked, not really expecting an answer. He already knew, he was just there for a smoke. 

"I can ask you the same thing," Keith answered. He seemed to have forgotten his weird attitude towards Lance and sat down next to him, leaning against the wall.

"Just catching some air before the next class," Lance admitted. 

"Sorry then for this," Keith said, motioning to the smoking fag in his hand.

Lance shook his head. "'t's fine. How was the exam?" 

Keith shook his head too, taking a drag. "I did my best. Bismarck is fucking me up," he said.

"Me too," Lance said. "I think I did well, but I still have a weird feeling about it. I dunno."

Keith rose his hand and silently offered Lance the cigarette. He lifted his hand too, almost accepting it, but then let it fall again. He turned his head to Keith. "Not tryna to get into it again. I'm worried I'll take one drag and start again." 

Keith looked at Lance, their faces being weirdly close to each other. Keith took a drag and then took Lance's chin with one hand, inching closer to him and letting the smoke out again. 

"This is not a drag, is it?"

He got up and walked away from Lance, putting the cigarette out on the wall as he walked past it.

"Fuck," Lance whispered when he was sure that Keith was gone, trying to calm his pounding heart.

 

"Okay, Lance you stand… here, and I will be… here, and I'll just look around like the dumb bitch I am and you'll approach me going… well, you say your text and stuff…"

Lance was being pushed around by Allura on the stage, listening to her orders as she tried to make their audition as perfect as possible. She was wearing ripped Mom-jeans with a pastel pink shirt tucked into it, her cardigan wrapped around her waist. She wore two Dutch braids, looking less like Julia as ever, but they still had time to change. It was Friday afternoon and drama had been cancelled for the auditions, which were starting in an hour.

And they really needed that time, because Lance, for one, looked even less like Romeo than Allura like Julia. His combat boots, black jeans and some (too short) t-shirt he had found, which was probably one of his sisters', suggested that he didn't give a damn at all. Which actually was the case. Usually, he dressed for his mood, today he just dressed for the weather. It was wet and cold, so he was glad the inside of the auditorium was heated. He had discarded the sweater he was wearing all day somewhere in the audience.

"Lance you slut, put on a shirt," Pidge called as they passed through the auditorium. They and Hunk had a lot to organize for their IT Club meetings, which they were now changing into Tech Club. 

"I am wearing a- you know what, dwarf, shut your cakehole," he called back. Pidge walked past him backstage to the control panels. 

"Anyway, where was I, we will-" Allura started again before she was cut off by the doorbell ringing. 

"Would you get that, please, Lance!" Pidge called. "That's probably Hunk with our adapters for the control panel!" 

"JESUS!" Lance shrieked and jumped from the stage. He paced to the door and slammed it open, ready to hurl an angry look at the person who ringed, when he was greeted by Keith.

"I… uh...," he started but trailed off, his gaze wandering lower and stopping at Lance's bare midriff.

"My eyes are up here, Mullet," Lance said, smirking a tiny little. "What's up."

Keith's eyes shot up again, his expression turning annoyed. He slapped the clipboard and sheets of paper attached to it he was holding in his hands against Lance's chest and turned to leave again. "Give this to Pidge or Hunk, Mr. Coran wanted them to have it before they go home."

"Sure," Lance said, taking the clipboard.

Keith opened the front door revealing a pouring sky. 

"Wait!" Lance called. He couldn't let Keith walk through that rain now, could he? "Why don't you wait inside for the rain to stop?"

But Keith just shook his head and sent Lance a tiny crooked smile. "I got work. Have a nice weekend, Lance," he said, pulled his hood over his black hair and vanished through the door. Lance sighed.

"Pidge!" He called. "I got pieces of paper and a clipboard for you!"

He walked back to the stage and shot the smirking Allura a look before tossing the clipboard to Pidge backstage. 

"Okay," he said, going into position again. "Where were we?"

 

The audition went well. Besides, of course, Pidge and Hunk sometimes smirking at them from the audience, but Allura and Lance didn't get distracted by that. They played the part of Romeo and Juliet meeting for the first time, and it went as smooth as it could possibly go, even though Lance kissed Allura's cheeks instead of her lips when Romeo kissed Juliet. They finished the scene proudly, leaving the stage with big grins.

"You were great!" Allura squealed, jumping at Lance. 

He hugged her tightly, grinning into her hair. "You were amazing, too, I'm so excited," he said, breaking up the hug. "I'm proud of us."

"Me, too," Allura sighed and let herself fall on the floor dramatically, letting out a big sigh. 

Laughing Lance pulled her up, twirling her through the room. "The others got nothing on us."

"Nothing."

Together with Pidge and Hunk, they left the auditorium. The rain had gotten a lot lighter, so they didn't need their umbrellas.

"So, the party in a few weeks, huh?" Allura asked the younger students. "Are you all coming?"

"Of course," Hunk grinned, "we all will."

"Great, Nyma wanted to have something even bigger this time," Allura said excitedly. "I love Halloween."

"I still don't have a costume," Lance whined. "Allura, will you  _ please  _ help me with it? I don't seem to find the time to think about it between all the exams. How do you do it?"

Allura laughed ironically, waving her hand. "Oh please, Lance, I'm a senior. My entire school year consists of exams at this point, so it doesn't really make a difference anymore." Her face turned a little desperate, making Pidge and Hunk laugh. "But sure, call me, we'll find something for you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok 3 week hiatus is done, sorry for the delay of everything lmfao i literally arrived home an hour ago from a 25 day roadtrip
> 
> hope you liked this chapter! I'm fucking tired.


	4. IV

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> its the dreaded physics exam, frens

The following weeks nothing happened a lot. Lance was so occupied by studying and taking exams that he totally forgot about the Halloween party - not only worrying about his costume but also how he would get Keith to join.

It was only a week until the party, and Lance still had to take his physics and Spanish exam. The more he studied the surer he was that he'd get so extremely shitfaced at the party. Nervously he packed his things on Sunday evening, his books, the calculator, wait, don't forget your chapstick, it's going to be cold… He got lost in his mind. There were too many thoughts at once.

What if he failed physics? Also, shit, didn't want Coran to make the roles public tomorrow? Or was it the day after, when he took his physics exam? This was going to be a long week, but he was glad when it ended. Fuck. The end. The party. His costume.  _ Keith! _

Lance tried to shut his thoughts down by shaking his head slightly and think of nothing for a second. Nothing of this was important. Tomorrow was his last physics class before the exam, and he needed to focus on that, first.

Sighing he finished packing and getting ready. When he got into bed he tried his best not to think of the things he still had to do this week, but he couldn’t help it. He fell asleep with his mind clouded.

In physics the next morning he was surprised to see that Keith wasn't attendant. His heart sank a little when class began, but after about three minutes the door was slammed open and Keith jogged into the room and sat down after mumbling a hasty apology. 

"There was such a traffic jam," he said, getting a nod from the teacher.

Traffic, huh? So he's got a car, or a motorcycle, or…? Lance shook his head. Concentrate, he told himself.

This was better said than done, but he managed to even raise his hand a few times, proud of himself. Keith even glanced at him with raised eyebrows, smirking a little. The class was over before he knew it, and with a little less heavy heart he exited the room, only to be greeted by a shriek.

"Lance!" Allura shouted across the hall, let her bag fall on the floor and ran towards him. 

Lance braced himself for the impact and caught her in midair confusedly. "What's wrong?"

But Allura just grinned at him, waiting for him to understand. Was something important today? The roles. The roles! In an instant, his face lit up and he grinned back.

"We got the roles?" He half whispered half asked unbelievingly.

"YES!" Allura shouted and hugged him tightly, earning weird looks from the other students, but they didn't care.

Lance laughed heartily and hugged her back, just in time to see Keith walking away from them, his face like stone, but Allura quickly distracted Lance again from that. She let go of him and together they walked outside.

"We were both first choice and Coran will give us the script this Friday," Allura beamed. She jumped up and down, making her hair bounce in rhythm.

"That's so cool…" Lance said, still not believing it. He was excited about the play, but he still needed time to realize it. 

Needless to say, his mind was occupied by this the whole day, and he found it hard to focus on the classes. His friends seemed to notice but let him be, since almost all the exams were already written and there was no real reason for him to pay attention to the class.

But the play wasn't the only thing occupying his mind. The physics exam was right around the corner and he couldn't help but feel terribly anxious. He tried to shake the feeling off, but with no success. He knew he'd study until late at night today and he was not happy about it. He tried to tell himself that it was over in less than twenty-four hours, but his mind wouldn't shut up. 

"Lance, class is over," Hunk said, nudging Lance's arm he was leaning on.

"What?" he said and straightened, looking away from the window. "Oh, thanks."

Hunk nodded and waved at him. "Pidge and I are gone. See ya tomorrow!"

"Yeah, see you," Lance answered and slowly started packing his things. He couldn't wait to get home and study. Really. Yay. He closed his bag and turned around just to almost bump into Keith. "Oh, sorry," Lance mumbled.

"Hey, are you okay?" Keith asked, shielding the way with his body. 

"Yeah, I just- physics is stressing me a little," Lance admitted, walking past Keith out of the classroom. He wasn't really in the mood for talking.

"I haven't studied yet," Keith said, walking next to Lance. "I was going to do it today after school. I could help you, maybe?" 

This made Lance stop in his tracks. "You'd do that?" 

"Haven't  _ you  _ been teaching me European history for the past weeks? Of course, dumbass." 

Lance considered. It  _ was  _ a flattering offer. And he knew that Keith was good at physics. He nodded. "Let's do it, then," he smiled, happiness welling up in him.

Keith's face lit up almost unnoticeably. "Great. I heard the library is still open?"

 

It was a long and difficult process for both of them. Lance tried to get the exercises right without mistakes while Keith tried to not kick Lance's ass. His concentration was gone after some time and from that point on Keith just kept his notebook rolled up since he kept whacking Lance over the head.

"Fuck," Lance grumbled after realizing he had yet another problem solved wrong. He wrung his hands and stuck them in his hair, pulling at it frustrated. "Fuck!"

Keith whacked both of Lance's hands. "Stop hating yourself and move it! C'mon again, can you see where you did the mistake?" 

Lance looked through his notes. The numbers were shuffling across his view and he shook his head. "I feel woozy," he said, squinting his eyes shut and shaking his head in an attempt to clear it. Opening his eyes he realized nothing got better. "Can we have a break?"

Sighing Keith leaned back and nodded. Lance stood up and stretched, quickly pulling down his shirt after realizing it had moved upwards. Keith raised his eyebrows.

Lance had noticed that once Keith got used to the school, he had started wearing more punky clothes - jeans vests with studs, band tees, not only one, but two fingernails painted black. Lance liked it a lot.

"What are you thinking about all the time?" Keith asked. Lance hadn't noticed that he'd been staring.

"Nothing," he said and said down again, brushing his hair out of his face.

"C'mon, that's not interesting," Keith said teasingly. He leaned forward on his elbow, resting his chin on his fist.

"I'm not interesting, either," Lance huffed, looking through the empty library. "But I bet you are. Tell me something about yourself."

Keith let out an airy laugh, shaking his head. "I'm boring, too. Really!" He added when Lance looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"I don't believe you, but I'll find more about your stubborn ass when I have taken this exam," Lance chuckled and took his pen again. 

"Suit yourself," Keith smirked and leaned back again. They were turned to their notebooks, but both of them smiled a tiny bit into themselves.

Even though Lance had wished to be able to ignore the tension between them, he couldn't. They more or less forced themselves through the ordeal, but soon decided to just give up. They'd give their best in the exam.

After coming home Lance revised the last few things, and now that Keith wasn't with him, the nervousness rose again. He huffed, thinking about all the things he had to do, his mind constantly wandering away from physics, but he reminded himself to stay focused over and over again. Don't stress yourself, he told himself.

He'd take his physics exam and then try to think about everything else. First, physics. 

He woke up. Uh-oh.

His alarm rang and he glanced around. He had fallen asleep on his desk, bag half packed and his clothes unchanged.

Ah, fuck, he thought, jumping up and trying to get his life back together, finishing to pack and getting changed into different clothes. He again didn't pay attention to what he was wearing, he just threw on anything that was clean and ran out of the house, rushing to school with Pidge on his carrier.

"What's wrong? Scared of physics?" They mocked. 

Oh yes, and how he was.

He had prepared himself as well as possible, going through his revisions in his head while he put all his things on his desk, barely even noticing that Keith had entered the room. He noticed a faint mix of coffee and cigarettes, which he actually didn't like, but this was what really woke him up at that moment. 

He sat down taking deep breaths as he tried to not go insane.

The teacher handed out the papers.

Lance took a look.

And he recognized nothing.

Needless to say, the exam went to shit. He tried his best not to start to tear up and tried to take all of his time to understand, but it was better said than done. He closed his eyes. When he opened them he noticed that Keith in front of him was tying his hair into a ponytail. There went his sanity. He noticed several earrings and even a stretched earlobe, wondering how they looked like if seen from the front…

Weirdly enough, watching Keith work his fingers through his hair calmed Lance, and he started to read through the assignments again. 

Slowly but surely he took his pencil and started writing. 

When he decided to be finished he had written one and a half pages, which was… miserable.

He got up, resisting the urge to crumple the sheets in his hands, took his bag and headed out after handing in his exam. 

He knew where he was headed, and when he reached the back wall of the auditorium he squatted and leaned against the wall. He pulled his hood over his head and put his face into his hands; he didn't want to cry, even though he felt like it, and he didn't. He just needed a few minutes alone.

Though he wasn't granted that wish. 

"You okay?" The last person he wanted to see right now was Keith, and yet here he was. Lance didn't want Keith to see him like that, but here he was and he couldn't shoo him away or anything. So he lifted his head, smiling at Keith who looked worried at him. 

Keith sat down next to Lance, lighting a cigarette. 

"How was the exam?" He asked him.

Glassy-eyed Lance looked back at Keith and took the cigarette out of his hands, putting him to his own lips. He sat down properly on the cold concrete.

"I guess that's enough of an answer," Keith said and chuckled lowly. 

Lance blew out the smoke and took another drag before giving the cigarette back to Keith, who at first rejected it. "Keep it," he said. "You obviously need it more than me."

Lance shook his head. "I don't need tobacco, I need a distraction from this shit," he said, motioning back to the school.

Keith accepted the cigarette. "I might know a trick to that," he said and took a drag, pulling Lance's face closer. With one exhale, their lips touched, and with the next inhale they kissed. A real, honest-to-God kiss.

Lance furrowed his brows at the slow pace and pulled Keith closer, until he was straddled by him, his hood falling back and mind occupied by a blank. What happened to the cigarette he didn't know, but it wasn't important.

He took a handful of Keith's shirt whose hands wandered from exploring Lance's hips to his shoulders to his hair, where he tugged, earning a groan.

"Fuck," Lance whispered between the kisses. This was exactly what he had needed.

Through the kiss, Keith smiled. "And you say you're not interesting," he murmured after pulling away to look Lance in the eyes. He was now towering over Lance.

"Shut up, will you," he grumbled and pulled Keith down to him again, kissing him roughly. He worked his hands from tugging Keith's shirt to his waist to his back, pressing their chests even closer to each other. 

They paused, chests heaving and breath rapid but in sync. They leaned their foreheads against each other, embracing each other's presence. Keith chuckled.

"What's so funny?" Lance croaked, not moving, too overwhelmed to move.

"This situation is just so bizarre," Keith said, giving Lance a peck on the lips again. "Also it's time we get moving. Class is starting in a bit."

"You're a horrible human being for reminding me," Lance answered against Keith's lips with a small ironic smile.

"Come on, asshole, I won't let a fuckboy hold me back from pursuing my education," Keith said in a posh way, getting up and pulling Lance with him. "Also fix your hair. It looks like some idiot messed it up on purpose."

"Me? A fuckboy?" Lance said offended, doing as told. "What does that make you? My basic bitch?"

Keith took his bag, turning back to the school, pulling his hoodie over his (weirdly enough not messy) black hair. "Just for the record," he said, glancing back with a glint in his eyes, "I'm no one's bitch."

Even though Lance knew he didn't mean it maliciously, he couldn't help but feel a little taken aback by Keith, which only made his interest in the boy increase. He followed him back to school.

"We'll see."

 

"You fucking  _ what _ ," Pidge asked, jogging next to Lance and Hunk who were walking a steady pace. They had to warm up in P.E. class, but they pretty much half-assed it because Lance had a lot to tell.

"I know, right," Lance said. "And he was so unphased and cool about it and everything…"

"Damn," Hunk said. "And he just got up and went back to normal?" 

Lance threw his hands in the air. "I mean- yeah!"

"But you do too with people who you just snog for fun," Pidge said, obviously very confused about the problem. "What's your point, ya'll kissed and stuff, where's the problem."

"Shut up, Pidge, you wouldn't get it anyways," Lance said, deeply in thoughts he snapped out of as soon as he realized that his small friend stopped jogging next to him and that he'd been very rude. "Oh my God, sorry Pidge I-"

"Fuck you, Lance," they grumbled and left the two boys, who looked at each other startled. 

"Where are you- Pidge!" Hunk called after them, but they kept walking out of the gym. He turned to Lance. "You go apologize to them right now."

"Fuck, fuck, fuck," Lance huffed and ran after Pidge.

They were already jogging up the stairs, head low. Lance called after them, but they didn't react. He caught up with them, two steps below Pidge and grabbed them by the shoulders, turning them around. They were almost on eye level.

"Pidge, I am so sorry," he started but stopped when he saw tears glistening in his friend's eyes. His heart stung a little. "I deserve to be beaten up." 

Pidge nodded, looking away, trying their best to hold everything in. To their surprise he lowered himself and pointed at his cheek, squinting his eyes shut. "Go for it."

He didn't think Pidge would really do it, but he wouldn't have done it without really meaning it. Still, he was surprised to see Pidge lifting their hand when he peeked. Their hand landed on his cheek and even though it didn't hurt a lot, he hissed to give his friend the satisfaction. He pointed at his other cheek. "Make it even."

Again he squinted his eyes shut, but he only felt as kiss placed on his cheek, followed by Pidge hugging his neck. He hugged them back, arms wrapped around their little body that quivered with tiny sobs. "I am so sorry," he said again. God, he wanted to die. 

He waited until Pidge calmed down and broke the hug to look at his friend.

"I'm not normal, am I?" They asked, looking worried.

"Of course not," he said, chuckling and wiping away their tears. "Where's the fun in that?"

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bruuh im so sick
> 
> tysm for reading again, maybe check out my other klance stories ty klance is cannon king and s7 didnt happen xoxo


	5. V

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> GHNGG the halloween party!

"Okay, but which earrings?" Lance asked, going through his makeup and jewellery drawer with his phone clamped between his ear and shoulder. The drawer wasn't very full, but it was messy so it was quite difficult. "It doesn't matter which costume I'll take, I'll most likely gonna take the same earrings." He held up two pairs of earrings, little hoops and studs.

"Hmm," Allura made on the phone. "The bigger the hoop, the bigger the hoe, you know…"

"You're right," he said and put the earrings down, taking another pair. "I'll take the ones where I can stick my hand through."

Allura laughed loudly. "You're unbelievable. If you're going for the witch, I still have those fake helix rings…"

"These would fit amazingly, actually, oh my God." Lance put the earrings on his desk, finally deciding on the witch costume. He wasn't going to buy one, he'd make it himself. Somehow. He put his black lipstick next to the hoops.

"Have you thought about your make up, yet?" Allura asked.

"In fact, I just got my black lipstick," he said proudly. "Even though I look cute with kitty ears, the witch it's gonna be."

"How about some smoky eyes and super sharp eyeliner?" 

"Yeeesssss," he said, taking a sip from his wine. He had sneaked a little into his room because it was Thursday and the exam phase was officially over. He was convinced he deserved it. "I can do the smoky eye but I really need help with the eyeliner." 

"I can give you a hand with that," Allura said. "Are you going home tomorrow after drama?"

"Yeah, but just to get my shit and go to Nyma's immediately after. Not gonna carry all of my stuff through school all day."

"Hmm," Allura made again. "How about we leave our clothes in the auditorium and go together to her house? Shiro would give us a ride. Also, she needed some help with the preparations, so we could help her with that, too."

"That's a good idea," Lance said nodding. He forgot that Allura couldn't see him. He began tidily putting his makeup into a separate bag. "Are you gonna stay the night?"

"Maybe, maybe not. Shiro doesn't know if he's gonna drink, yet. If he is, we're gonna stay or walk home."

"Hmm," Lance said. He went back to his wardrobe. "I'm most likely gonna stay. Okay, so I'm gonna wear this long tank top-ish thing with the starry zodiac print, which pants? Leggings or skinny jeans?"

"Are you serious? Skinny jeans. +5 points if they're ripped. So Keith isn't coming?" Allura abruptly changed the subject.

"No," Lance huffed. He desperately wanted him to come, but it couldn't be helped. "I'm gonna ask him again, tomorrow." 

"I see why you like him," Allura said. "I mean he's cute."

"Umm? I don't like him, duh," Lance said, packing the clothes into the bag on his bed.

"Alright," Allura said, smacking her lips. "I just mean that I see why you want to initiate the first step. The sooner the better, right?"

Lance fell silent. He hadn't told Allura about the kiss yet, he just remembered.

"Lance?" 

"Uh, yeah?" He said, shaking his head.

"Oh my God," Allura laughed into the phone. "OH MY GOD!" 

Lance facepalmed himself. "Yeah, about the first step…"

"Who did it? What did you do? Did you hook up?"

"Chill, we just kissed, and he kinda started it, I don't knooow," he whined, throwing himself on the bed. "It was behind the auditorium, too…"

"How cheesy!" Allura yelled. "You  _ have  _ to get him to the party!"

"Allura, I really can't force him. If he doesn't want to come, there is apparently no reason for him to do so. I can't just magically create a reason to convince him," Lance said, but immediately stopped.

"Yeah, I guess so," Allura said, but Lance didn't pay attention anymore.

_ Create a reason to convince him. Hmm. _

 

At the end of their call, Lance had put together his outfit, packed his makeup and sleeping clothes and was happily tipsy. But what was really occupying his mind was the idea of somehow lure Keith to the party. He didn't know if it was the alcohol or his genius, but he was slowly starting to form a plan in his head. Of course, he was excited for the party, too. Pidge and Hunk promised they'd come as Frankenstein and his monster, and Lance was curious how they'd do it.

As he got ready for bed he thought his plan through, assuring himself that everything would go smoothly. He took the empty wine glass in his hand and tiptoed back to the kitchen, cleaning it and placing it back into the shelf. He looked out of the kitchen window, noticing the few stars in the sky. He hoped the weather would stay as clear the next night, too. 

 

The next morning Lance staggered out of the house, packed with luggage; his school bag, his sleepover bag, the clothes he'd be wearing at rehearsals. Luckily he didn't have to pick Pidge up this morning, Matt was dropping them off, so the bike's carrier which was usually Pidge's place to sit was empty. Lance loaded his bags on there and took off, excited for the day and curious about how it would end.

He arrived at school and carried his bag to the back of the auditorium, where he already saw Allura's pink bag in a corner. He placed his bag next to hers and headed back to his classroom, when he heard small feet behind him.

"Lance, wait!" Pidge called after Lance. 

He turned around and greeted his friend with a smile, putting an arm around them. "Excited?" he asked them.

"Totally!" Pidge exclaimed. "Hunk looks amazing in his costume and I borrowed a lab coat from Dad's work, it's gonna be so cool! What does your costume look like?"

"That's a surprise," Lance grinned. "It's nothing spectacular, but it's gonna look amazing, I promise. Oh, and could you not mention the party in Keith's presence? I want him to forget about it."

Pidge looked confused up to Lance. "What? But I thought you wanted him to come."

"And I still do, but let me do the thinking for once," Lance said. 

Pidge wasn't fully convinced and shrugged. "If it makes you happy…"

English dragged itself into eternity, but everyone was only talking about the party. Lance wished they could all shut up, but Keith, who concentrated on class, didn't seem to notice at all. Lance peered to Keith's desk, looking for something, but sadly he spotted nothing useful. His plan had to wait for a little. 

In the break, the party was  _ the  _ #1 topic but Keith was nowhere to be found. Lance thought it was better this way, still, he asked himself where the boy had gone. He looked over at the clock. Only one period to go. He had to try his best in this last period, or else Keith wouldn't attend the party at all. 

"Lance, where did your attention span go?" Hunk asked out of the blue, nudging Lance.

"Huh?" the dark boy asked, blinking. "Oh. You'll see soon enough."

Pidge and Hunk furrowed their brows, obviously not liking the tone of this, but they didn’t ask questions. Together the friends packed their things and headed for the biology rooms.

"Are we doing anything special today in biology?" Pidge asked while walking.

"I think we're starting a new topic today. Ecology? I don't know," Hunk said. "I hope we won't have to do group work like every time we start a new topic."

Pidge and Lance groaned. Group work in biology was the worst thing ever, especially because they never knew what they were supposed to do. Plus it was the last period before the weekend, so of course, it would be hard to concentrate.

But Lance remembered that group work would give him the perfect conditions for his plan. Keith was sitting with them at a group table, wasn't he? Of course he was, he made the bio lessons hard to concentrate on.

"It might not be so horrible this time," Lance suggested.

As they had predicted, there was a new topic, and it was indeed ecology. At first, it sounded extremely boring, but as the teacher got into it, the friends realized how easy and simple it was. They didn't even notice the time flying as they were working on the tasks about the fluctuating graphs representing the number of animals in a certain biotope.

"Awh, man," Lance said huffing and stretching, so Pidge and Hunk paid attention to him. He winked at them. "I forgot my calculator, can I borrow one of yours?"

"But you-" Hunk started but was violently cut off by Pidge who held his mouth with their tiny hands, knocking their calculator into their bag. 

"Sorry, we only got one, either. Keith?"

"Huh?" 

Everyone at the table was looking at him now and he looked up from his notebook. "I'm sorry, I didn't listen. What was the question?"

"If you could lend me your calculator," Lance explained. "Please?".

"Yeah, sure. Take it," Keith said warily, turning back to his notebook.

Lance took the calculator and looked at the clock. Only fifteen minutes to go.

"Okay, guys!" Their teacher clapped and turned to the class. "Let's see what you have come up with."

As the last minutes passed, Lance noticed with delight that they wouldn't need the calculator anymore. He hid it under his notebook and waited for class to end.

He tried to follow his teacher's words, but his mind slipped away to other places like drama club or the party. He wished a certain someone would join him, but sometimes you have to help your luck a little.

The end of the period was close and everyone had already started to pack their things, ready for the weekend. Lance did the same, but together with his biology books he also let Keith's calculator slip into his backpack, hoping Keith wouldn't notice. He'd give it back to him, just not yet. 

 

"Congrats, you two," Coran greeted Allura and Lance when he entered the auditorium. "With you, the play is going to be great."

"Thank you, Mr Coran," Allura smiled. She waited for Coran to be out of earshot, then turned around to Lance. "What did you do?"

"Yes, Mr.-I-have-a-plan, dare you to explain what's up with you?" Pidge asked. Together with Hunk they were sitting in the auditorium again, getting more familiar with the tech and the sound system before leaving to get ready for the party. But first, they had to cuss Lance out.

"Chill, Jesus," Lance said, sinking more into his seat. "I'm going to get Keith to the party whether he wants to or not."

"Oh my God," Allura grinned. "Good luck, I guess."

"Yeah," Pidge spat. "I guess too!"

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Hunk asked. He was a little worried.

"I  _ know  _ it's a bad idea, but I need to try it, at least," Lance defended himself. 

Pidge shook their head, along with Allura who also grinned. "It's gonna get a long night, for all of us."

 

Time passed slowly, but the friends didn't mind. There was a lot to do in this first class after the auditions; the scripts had to be distributed, costumes looked for, people measured and rehearsals to be planned. Lance and Allura were obviously involved in most of it, but they didn't mind. They were there for the drama, they were gonna do the drama. That was their motto. Kind of.

Every time the two of them passed their bags backstage they smiled to themselves or each other, raising their eyebrows in anticipation. 

Pidge and Hunk had already left, Lance and Allura were busy with ticking off the To-Do list Coran had given to them; a tick for every requisite they already had like costumes, a vial for the poison, and X for those they didn't, like a balcony, swords, fake blood.

They wouldn't have thought, but they finished earlier than the period ended, and cried to Coran until he'd let them go earlier. One call to Shiro and they were on the go to Nyma's place.

"A witch then, Lance?" He asked the boy in the backseat.

"Yeah, not the traditional ugly witch, though," Lance laughed. "Wanna stay stylish, even on Halloween."

"That's the spirit," Allura smiled and put her hand on Shiro's. Lance smiled to himself. 

"I think I'm gonna take a nap before I do anything," Lance said yawning. "Coran is killing me."

"Do it, you have a long night ahead of you," Allura smirked and turned to Lance, who looked at her with a 'cut it out' expression.

"Is that so?" Shiro asked with his eyes on the road.

Lance scratched his neck. "Yeah, I uh… I'm celebrating my last exam, so yeah…"

"I wish we could say the same," Shiro laughed, not noticing Lance's discomfort. He pulled up to the house the party would be in, dropping Allura and Lance off before looking for a parking spot far away from the house.

"Lance! Allura!" They heard someone shout as soon as they exited the car. Nyma was leaning out of her kitchen window, waving at the two friends who waved back.

"So," she said when they were seated in the kitchen, "we got some stuff to do still. We have to empty out the fridge and get all the drinks in there, so they're gonna be cold when it's 8. Then we have to move the coffee table in the basement, the lawn has to be mowed but Rolo's doing that and we have to-"

"I have to take a nap first," Lance interjected, leaning on his arm on the table. "I can help with the drinks now, but then I'm immediately going to bed for at least half an hour, I am so dead."

"I'll help you, we'll get it done quicker and I wanted to lie down a little too," Allura said nodding.

"Why are you two so tired," Nyma asked with raised eyebrows. "It's only 4 pm."

"We haven't been home all day and had drama class," Allura said, waving her hand. "We gotta be prepared. Also, Lance is gonna get some tonight."

"Allura!" Lance shot up and glared at her. Both Allura and Nyma broke out into a fit of giggles, making Lance shake his head. "I'm gonna start with the fridge."

He went to the fridge and placed a box next to it before starting to reorganize all the food and putting the bigger things into the box. Allura joined him and together they carried the box to the garage, where the smaller fridge stood. They basically swapped the food with the drinks and carried those back to the kitchen. In the meantime, Shiro had come back and helped Rolo with the garden. 

During their work, and even when Lance dropped on the couch he kept thinking about Keith, and if he'd see him today. The boy grew drowsy and finally fell asleep. 

"Wake up, Lance!"

"It's 6.30pm!"

Lance jumped up, surprised by the time. He had slept for almost two hours? "Allura, I told you I wanted to nap for half an hour," he whined, rubbing his eyes.

"I know, but you were sleeping so cute," she chimed and laughed. "Also you need your energy." 

Lance groaned, but then his bad mood vanished when he remembered his outfit he'd get to wear now. "Okay Allura, time for a makeover."

He jumped from the couch and made his way to the bathroom, taking his bags with him. Okay, so. First the ripped black jeans, then the tank top dress, or however you wanna call it. It was olive-ish grey, printed with lunar ornaments. Then the long black flowy cardigan, and last but not least the boots.

"How do I look!" he yelled as he exited the bathroom with spread arms.

Allura's face lit up and Nyma clapped. "Amazing!" she complimented. Allura was already changed into her fairy costume, and Lance had to admit that she looked absolutely gorgeous.

By the time they finished their makeup and helped each other with the jewellery and accessories and the eyeliner it was half-past seven. Allura was just trying to finish Lance's eyeliner when he got a message. He was about to take his phone, but Allura whacked his hand.

"If you move now I'm going to fuck up your entire makeup, I swear," she said through gritted teeth, making Lance almost laugh out loud. Though he didn't dare to.

When Allura was finished they switched places and Lance tried (with a lot of disinfectant) to fumble another pair of earrings into her ears. Apparently, she grew bored and took Lance's phone into her hands. "Hey, Keith texted you!"

Lance stopped and looked at her before returning back to his work. "My hands are busy, what does he say?"

"'Hi Lance, did you pack my calculator? I sort of need it atm, text me when you can.' Oh my god. You did, didn't you?"

But Lance just smirked. "I did." 

He closed the second earring in Allura's ear and leaned back, putting on his witch hat to finish his look, careful not to knock off the fake helix he borrowed from his friend. His ears were also decorated with the big hoops he had chosen, and he felt ready for the evening.

"In about two hours I'm going to reply that I do in fact have his calculator and text him Nyma's address to get it because I'm 'sick'.

"Wow," Allura said, shaking her head. She had a slight smile on her face and looked at Lance. "You really are a bitch, aren't you?" 

"I'm afraid I am," Lance said, crossing his arms. Now he had to wait. 

In the following time, the friends finished up the final touches and greeted the guests arriving one after another. Pidge and Hunk arrived as announced as Frankenstein and his monster. As soon as they took a step into the house they were showered with compliments, and they deserved it; Hunk looked intimidating, skin painted and clothes ripped whereas Pidge looked crazy and clever, their hair wild and dressed in a lab coat.

"Don't you think we need to drink to this night?" Lance asked them, already holding up the tequila he grabbed from the counter.

"Definitely," Hunk agreed. "These past weeks have been horrible.  _ Plus _ the organisation of the tech…"

"I just wanna get drunk," Pidge whined and grabbed three shot glasses standing nearby. "C'mon Lance!" 

The witch for the night gladly poured the three of them a round and together they lifted their glasses. 

"To this night!" Lance said, smirking and downing the burning liquid when his friends returned his cheer. He shook himself.

"I'm actually kind of sad for you," Hunk said, "Keith not coming and stuff…"

"Oh, that's been taken care of," Lance laughed. "He'll be here, I'm at least eighty-nine per cent sure."

"That's oddly specific," Pidge laughed. "What makes you so sure?" 

"I don’t know," Lance shrugged. "Just a feeling." 

"This 'feeling' includes a whole plan, doesn't it?" Hunk asked, fetching himself a beer and opening it. 

"Pfff," Lance said, but not elaborating further. "That reminds me, I still need to help this feeling a little more." He looked around him and decided that the party was busy enough - Keith could come now. He took out his phone. 

**Lance:** Hi! Sorry, fell asleep, I don't feel so good. Yeah, I accidentally took it with me, I'm sorry :/ should I bring it to you, or…?

Lance didn't even have to wait a long time until he got a response.

**Keith:** Don't be silly, if you're sick I can get it. Just text me your address

"Yes!" Lance yelled, punching his fist in the air. He turned to Hunk and boxed his arm several times out of joy. He knew the big guy didn't mind.

"Are you gonna fill me in, or…?" Hunk asked, not exactly looking expectant.

"Keith is coming over," Lance grinned. He drew his phone again.

**Lance:** Awh, how cute of you

**Lance:** Addisonstr 38

**Lance:** See ya in a bit

Jumping up and down the boy squealed. "Okay, hold on, I gotta find Allura." He excused himself and walked through the increasing mass of people, quickly finding his tall friend. 

"Guess what," he said, holding the phone in her face, catching her off guard.

Allura looked startled at first but then took the phone in her hands. Her eyes widened and she grinned at Lance. "Oh my God," she said with the widest grin ever. "Yes."

"Yes," Lance replied with a big smile and waved to her, leaving with his phone again. He exited the house to wait for Keith because he knew for a fact that the way wasn't that far. He sat down on the small wall separating the front lawn from the sidewalk, waiting in anticipation for his favourite emo. It didn't even take ten minutes for him to pull up to the driveway and exit his car with his eyes big and mouth open, engine still running, one foot still in the car. His eyes slid to Lance.

"You fucking-"

"Wait!" Lance interrupted, walking towards his friend. "Before you say something you will regret, I  _ beg  _ you to stay with me for at least half an hour. Then you can leave if you want."

Keith paused. He rubbed his eyes and combed through his hair with his fingers. "You're unbelievable, do you know that?"

Lance grinned. "Unbelievable is my middle name." 

Keith shook his head. Then he killed the car's engine and closed the door, locking it. "This better be a good party."

Lance couldn't believe it, he had finally reached his goal. He put an arm around Keith and dragged him to the house. "Don't worry. With you there, the party is worth attending."

 

By then Lance had thought he had seen a lot in his life, but what he hadn't expected was the whole crowd greeting Keith like an old friend. People came, clapped him on the back, telling him they had missed him, hugging him, the whole program. 

Lance didn't have words. "How the  _ hell  _ do you know all these people?"

Keith shrugged and smiled apologetically. "This is the reason I didn’t want to go. I used to party all the time."

"You and party?" Lance didn't understand it. He had to gather himself. "Wait. Are  _ you  _ the beer pong master Keith?" 

Keith made a bow as if to introduce himself. "At your service."

Lance grabbed himself a cup from the counter next to them, poured a little bit of vodka in it and when he couldn't find any soft drinks he just downed the shot. "I can't believe you. And this whole time Hunk wanted to convince me to leave you alone. He thought you were shy. Shy, Keith!"

Keith had to chuckle at that. "That's nice of you guys."

Lance still needed time to process this, and in the meantime, he'd get drunk. He got himself a beer from the fridge, offering Keith one, too. 

He shook his head. "Still gotta drive." 

Lance frowned at this, but he proceeded to open the bottle on the door frame, taking a swig. He stared into the distance. "Keith, you're horrible." 

"Horrible is my middle name."

The boys looked at each other and had to laugh. "C'mon," Lance said, "I wanna show Pidge and Hunk that I made it."

"What am I, some kind of trophy?" Keith asked as he let himself be dragged through the masses.

"Maybe," Lance said, looking back at his black haired friend.

When they found their friends their group felt whole again.

"I can't believe it," Pidge said shaking their head like some kind of mother. "I am so sorry, Keith." 

"It's okay," Keith answered loudly over the music. "Parties aren't something new to me."

Both Pidge and Hunk looked mildly surprised but didn't say anything. Lance still had his arm around Keith and spotted an empty couch next to them. He sat down and patted the place next to him for Keith to sit. Hunk took up the space on Lance's other side, making Pidge jump on top of them, using the armrest as a pillow.

"You have twenty minutes left to convince me that this party is worth staying, you know," Keith said, nudging Lance's arm, who brought the beer to his lips once again. 

"Go home, Keith, Lance is already nuts enough to bring you here, it would be insane to keep you here," Pidge said, nudging Keith with their feet.

"You call it insane, I call it a challenge," Lance said sticking his nose in the air. "A shame  that you can't drink anything, Mullet."

"I mean unless you want me to die or get caught by the cops…"

"You could sleep here," Lance said, then smirked. "There's still space in the bathtub."

"No there's not, asshole, that's my place," Pidge said, kicking Lance with their knee. "The poor boy will go home in twenty minutes, you'll see." 

 

Except, that wasn't what happened. Forty minutes later the two boys were standing in the kitchen talking to Nyma, Lance had his arm around Keith again. He was sipping from his plastic cup filled with coke and vodka, listening to what Nyma was talking about. He had discovered that she and Keith already knew each other from previous parties, which still had him shaken.

"It is good to see you again, though," Nyma chuckled at Keith, softly knocking her fist against his arm. "And in better company."

"Yeah," Keith answered, trailing off. He scratched his neck, but before he could say anything, their conversation was interrupted by hollers behind them.

"We're doing BODYSHOTS!" 

Nyma and Lance laughed, whereas Keith just looked terrified. Nyma laughed even harder.

"What, you've never done body shots?" Lance asked.

"He has," Nyma chuckled.  "Tell him what happened. I'm going over there to watch, you two have fun." She left Keith and Lance, who was looking at Keith in anticipation.

"Oh my God, okay," Keith said, turning pink. "I'm ticklish and we were doing them on the table and I laughed so hard I fell off the table and got a concussion." 

Lance burst out in laughter, trying his hardest not to spill his drink. He took note of the fact that Keith was ticklish for future reference. "You're so cute," he snickered, leaning his head on Keith's shoulder. When he calmed down he cleared his throat grinning. "That's too bad though. I wanted to do one with you."

"What, a body shot?" Keith asked in disbelief. Lance nodded.

"But since you can't drink a _ nd  _ you're ticklish..." Lance shrugged and took a big gulp of his drink, and did the first thing that came to his drunken mind. He leaned down and kissed Keith, who immediately kissed back. They deepened the kiss and Lance let the liquid in his mouth flow in Keith's, who was surprised but accepted it nevertheless. After a few seconds, he stopped. A few drops of liquid ran down their chins.

"Lance," Keith said, his eyes widening. 

"Mhm," his tall friend answered smiling dorkily.

"What was in the cup," Keith asked.

"Coke," Lance mumbled against Keith's lips.

"And…?"

"Vodka."

"Oh my God." He brought his hands to his hair. "You are…"

"Amazing? Genius?"

"Such an asshole, holy shit."

Lance had to laugh at that, and frankly, Keith chuckled too, because there was nothing he could do about it anymore. 

"I'm still not gonna get drunk, though," Keith remarked, earning a shrug from Lance.

"We'll see. At least you won't leave anymore." Lance put an arm around his friend and guided him back to the living room where they were doing the body shots.

\-------------

"I kind of feel out of place," Keith noted at some point in the night. "All of you look fucking stupid while I'm the only one dressed normally here."

Lance had to giggle. He took off his witch hat and put it on Keith's head. "Now you look as dumb, and we match."

"Yikes," Keith said with a smile and didn't make any effort to take off the hat. 

They were in the garden, watching a match of beer pong, discreetly snuggled against each other. The little alcohol they've had warmed them up a little, but it was still the end of October and kind of freezing. Every few minutes one of them erupted in a fit of shivers which both tried to hide. 

When the match was over both of them sighed quietly to have an excuse to go inside again, when they heard loud noises come from inside.

"Well, look who didn't invite us!" 

Both boys flinched at the same time when they recognized the voice.

"I need to go," Keith said frantically. 

"You know him?!" Lance asked panicked.

"Do you?" 

Both were frozen until Lance heard heavy footsteps. He grabbed Keith's wrist and dragged him to the shed and closed the door behind them after they found space between the gardening tools. They hadn’t noticed Lance’s hat flying off of Keith’s head. Both had to lean away from the tiny dirty window in the shed's door, sending a few rays of light into the small house. Lance was towering over Keith, leaning against the wall behind the black haired boy.

"How the hell do know Lotor?" Keith hissed.

"It's a long fucking story but shut up or we'll get caught!"

Lance felt his heart beating faster than ever and when he heard voices approaching the shed he felt his body starting to quiver. He didn’t know how he could be so fucking terrified but the fact that he was with Keith made it worse. He didn't want him to get hurt.

"Hey," Keith said and put a hand on Lance's shoulder, who squinted his eyes shut.

"I'm fine. They'll be gone soon." He opened his eyes to Keith looking at him worriedly.  Lance managed to crack a small smile. 

For a while they heard conversation outside, followed by laughter. Then, glass was smashed. They flinched. All the panic had made the two of them sober up very quickly and suddenly both realized how close they actually were. Lance's throat closed up and he had to open his mouth to breathe through it. He gulped and took an audible breath.

"Hey," Keith whispered again, resulting in Lance to nod and pull himself together. He leaned forward just to rest their foreheads together. "Chill, it's over in a minute."

And for sure, they heard the loud noises decline followed by silence. They never noticed that the music had stopped. Lance dared to stand up straight, and Keith took his hand away. They looked at each other unsurely. And then, the music started again.

Lance sighed. "We should.."

"Yeah," said Keith and got away from the wall. Lance opened the door and took a deep breath of cool night air.

He looked around and everyone was still kind of wary, but Nyma was already starting to get people into party mode. Also, there was a broken bottle of beer on the garden tiles.

"I think I should really head home now," Keith remarked.

"I am so sorry for keeping you here, I genuinely am," Lance said, feeling guilty.

"It's totally fine. You couldn't have known. And, I mean, we did have fun, didn't we?" Keith cracked a grin. "I stayed here on my own, don't think you're good in persuasion."

"Am I not?" Lance smiled and cocked an eyebrow.

Together they walked through the living room to the front door, the people seemed to have forgotten what had happened. It was barely 2 am.

"So, you're gonna stay?" Keith said, turning around. 

"I-" Lance started, but thought about it. His heart was beating way too fast to calm down any time soon, especially not with alcohol and loud music around. The best part of the night was already over, he might as well go home. "Of course not. Who is going to escort you home, since you can't drive?"

Keith rolled his eyes, Lance packed his things and together they left the party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow sorry i didn't upload yesterday! i meant to, but i simply forgot
> 
> im super busy atm since im moving abroad for uni but that wont stop me from posting bi weekly, next chapter is almost done already~


	6. VI

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> very cuddly chapter I liked this one a lot also lance is a dumbo

“Your turn.”

 

“Okay, watch this.” Lance stopped walking as Keith did, he collected spit in his mouth and spat it as far as he could. After a few feet, it hit the floor.

 

“Weak,” Keith remarked.

 

Lance shoved him. “I’m still a little drunk, okay,” he laughed.

 

“Still,” Keith shrugged and started walking again. After a while, he said, “It really was kinda fun today. Haven’t been to a party in ages.”

 

“I knew you’d like it!”

 

“Psh,” Keith said, his hands deep in his jacket’s pockets. It was freezing.

 

They kept walking through the cold of autumn until Lance spoke up again. “I can’t believe it’s already November.”

 

“Yeah,” Keith huffed, his breath coming out cloudy. “Next set of exams is already next month.”

 

“Keith, man, let me have this short time not thinking about them,” Lance said rubbing his eyes.

 

“Just sayin’.” 

 

Lance enjoyed the cold, the silence and Keith’s presence when he was suddenly distracted by a small particle flying in front of him. He looked up. “Look, Keith.”

 

The black haired boy lifted his eyes off the ground and followed Lance’s gaze. Over them, small flakes of snow descended softly. 

 

“Do you think it’s gonna stay on the ground?”

 

Lance shook his head. “It’s gonna melt, it’s too little to stay. But isn’t it nice? The first snowfall of the year, and no one will know tomorrow morning. Except for us.”

 

“Except for the people on the party still awake,” Keith said.

 

“They’ll be too drunk to remember anything, pal.”

 

Keith smiled crookedly at the sky. “I guess it’s pretty nice. Like a secret.”

 

\-----------------------

 

And Lance had been right. He knew snow wasn’t covering the streets as soon as he woke up at 7 am Saturday morning from his headache. It wasn’t agonizing, but it still hurt a little, and just to be safe he took some painkillers and downed two glasses of water, sitting at his window. Watching the last few snowflakes fall down, vanishing as soon as they hit the ground, he contemplated texting Keith to ask how he was as well as asking his friends, but he decided against it, locking his phone.

 

He got up and got under his warm covers again, snuggling the blanket close to himself, feeling secure, warm… safe…..

 

“Get up Lanny! Mama made breakfast!” 

 

Lance knew he had slept but he didn’t feel like it at all. He squeezed his eyes shut and turned around, but his little sister wouldn’t let him. 

 

“Come on, Mama made pancakes and bacon and stuff… We even have apple juice, and  _ I _ poured it for everyone! I only spilt some once. Wake uuuup.”

 

Lance grumbled and shooed her off, but she waited until he was fully awake. He sat up slowly. Something wasn’t right.

 

“Is someone there visiting?” He asked his sister. She nodded.

 

“That weird guy from Ana Sofia. I don’t like him.”

 

Lance felt like vomiting. “Yeah, me neither. Look, how about we make a deal. You bring me mine and your breakfast upstairs and tell Mama that I don’t feel well. And then we’ll just eat together and watch some cartoons on my laptop, what do you say?”

 

Sara gasped. “But Mom doesn’t allow me to watch TV while eating!” 

 

But Lance clearly saw her shining eyes that were already convinced. “That’s why you don’t have to tell her! Just tell her I don’t feel good, and you want to eat with me, huh? Ask her to put our plates on a tray so you can carry them up the stairs. You think you can do that?”

 

“Yes!” She said and jumped out of the room. 

 

Lance knew she’d fuck up, but he also knew that his mother would notice right away anyway because she knew her son and that something was up if he wasn’t joining them for breakfast. He wasn’t worried about her telling him to come downstairs anyway.

 

Slowly tiptoeing he followed his little sister downstairs, careful to stay out of sight of the kitchen’s doorway. He heard his family’s and Mason’s voices.

 

Sara exited the room excitedly and was about to open her mouth as soon as she saw Lance, but he put his fingers to his lips in an urgent manner. 

 

He took the tray from her and together they made their way up the stairs and put the tray on their laps as soon as they got on Lance’s bed, where he let her decide what show to put on.

 

\-------------

 

**Keith:** Buddy. The calculator

 

Lance facepalmed himself. He had totally forgotten about that. He looked at the clock. It was already 2 pm, his family had already left the house for some gathering at one of Mom’s friend’s house he really didn’t want to attend.

 

**Lance:** Shit, sorry. I’ll be over in 15 min

 

He didn’t even bother getting dressed, he just threw on his winter jacket and put the calculator and keys in his pocket, got on his bike and was off. The cold air hit him in the face and messed up his hair, it felt refreshing and soothing at the same time. He was happy to be out of the house anyway, sitting at home too long made him feel icky and lazy.

 

He arrived in no time, got off his bike and rang the doorbell a little nervously. It was just Keith, he has passed his house several times there was no reason to be that jumpy.

 

The front door opened, revealing Keith looking as ever; he wore a sweatshirt, black jeans, just plain old Keith. Still, Lance found the sight strangely sobering. 

 

He noticed that he was staring and scrambled to get the calculator out of his pocket. “Hey,” he huffed, a little belated.

 

“Hi,” Keith smirked and took the calculator Lance was handing him. “And thanks. For bringing it over so soon I mean.”

 

“No problem man,” Lance said, laughing a little. “Sorry again, for taking it in the first place.”

 

Keith just shook his head, waving his hand. “It’s okay.” Then he stepped a little to the side. “Do you maybe wanna come in? It looks like you’re freezing.”

 

“It’s okay!” Lance blurted out. “I mean, I don’t really feel  _ that  _ cold.”

 

“You’re literally only wearing a t-shirt under that jacket,” Keith remarked. “My dad isn’t home anyways and I just made too much hot chocolate, so…”

 

Lance laughed about Keith’s awkward invite, nodding his head. “Alright, but I can’t stay for long. My Dad’s probably already wondering where I ran off to.”

 

Turns out, Keith had a much cosier home than he had imagined. A nice small kitchen, with a wooden kitchen table which was covered with school work, a hallway decorated with a few pictures, a tiny cute living room.

 

They spent most of the afternoon together, talking about the school work in front of them but mostly trailing off topic and talking about all kinds of things. At some point Keith had changed into sweatpants as well (“It’s unfair that I look like a hobo and you look like you’re actually ready to go outside!”), earning some well-meant compliments (“Aw, you look adorable!”). They had also decided to ditch the school work and go into the living room, where they first sat on the couch opposite from each other, but almost unnoticeably got closer as time passed until both were snuggled up against each other, clutching their second round of hot chocolate. Lance’s right arm was outstretched on the backrest behind Keith. 

 

Eventually, the topics they talked about got a little deeper, scratching the surface of their so far more or less shallow friendship.

 

“Did you know,” Keith said, smiling into his mug, “that I only got accepted to your school because Shiro knows me?”

 

“I did, actually,” Lance snickered, “Allura told me.” 

 

“Oh, that witch,” Keith said and laughed as well. “I don’t think I would’ve been able to get accepted otherwise.”

 

Lance shook his head. “Nah,” he said. “I wouldn’t be so sure. You’re ambitious and your grades are okay, I think you could’ve made it without his help.”

 

Keith shrugged. “Guess we’ll never know. But that’s why I kinda want to redeem myself to Shiro. By not drinking and partying and other stuff.”

 

Lance looked at the boy next to him. “Seriously?”

 

Keith nodded. “Not being a fuckup is the least I can do in return.”

 

While Keith was still looking into his beverage Lance’s right hand sneaked from behind Keith to his left ear, and stroked a black hair strand behind it, revealing a few piercings. Lance certainly hadn’t forgotten about those. He shook his head slightly and hummed. “You’re not. I can guarantee you. Even if you did party, so what? Everyone does. Even the boring girls from English class in the second row, and they’re straight A students. Don’t work yourself up too much about it.”

 

Finally, Keith looked up from the mug. “Ya think so?”

 

“I  _ know  _ it. It’s okay to let loose once in a while.” And with those words he closed the short distance between them and kissed Keith. Softly unlike their other kisses before. Both tasted like chocolate and had warm lips. They didn’t know who started it, but eventually both had to smile through the kiss, making them part again, chuckling. “See? And you’re still a good student.”

 

“Not if you keep me from actually doing homework,” Keith laughed and rolled his eyes playfully, but Lance noticed the very prominent blush on his face.

 

“Oh come oooon, it’s Saturday,” Lance whined. He put both their mugs on the coffee table. “Let’s do something fun.”

 

“Lance, I have to work tomorrow.”

 

The boys sighed. “You still have plenty of time to- holy shit it’s 6 pm? Where did the time go!”

 

“That’s why I’ve been gently trying to kick you out of my house, Lance.”

 

Lance rubbed his eyes. “You’re no fun. But I really should get going.” He stood up and stretched, letting out a long sigh. Keith got up as well.

 

The two of them really hadn’t noticed time passing at all. They had rather enjoyed the endless talks about whatever came to their minds. Keith waited patiently for Lance to put on his shoes and fluffy winter coat, opening the door for him. “Thanks again for coming over,” he said.

 

“Thanks for having me and for the hot chocolate,” Lance said with a little bow, “oh, and for-” he quickly moved forward and gave Keith a peck on the lips, “-a way to tease you.”

 

“I can’t get rid of you, can I,” Keith ask, after the initial short shock had passed.

 

“Nope, never,” Lance said and already made his way to his bike, got on it and with a wave he was gone. 

 

He arrived at home with still the biggest grin plastered on his face.

 

\-------------------------

 

Monday morning came and Lance felt relaxed, refreshed and just all in all in a good mood. After he hadn’t answered his phone for several hours on Saturday his friends were wondering if he was lying somewhere hungover in a ditch (or in Keith’s bed), so he had some explaining to do. And even after that, they didn’t believe that he had ‘just been hanging out at Keith’s place for a few hours’. 

 

He wondered if the atmosphere between him and Keith would change in school but he doubted it. I mean they just kissed, right? They had kissed before. The day would go perfectly fine.

 

He sat down in his seat when he arrived in the classroom hastily shortly after his physics teacher did, and was promptly met by his her slamming down their exams on the desk. 

 

“Morning. I want to speak to a few of you after class after I gave you back your exams.”

 

And there his good attitude went. He tried his best to keep listening and to keep up with the good topic, but his mind kept getting clouded, and he was agitated. 

 

Keith turned around to him and shot an encouraging smile, but Lance just managed what felt like a grimace.

 

The seconds ticked by and he got more and more nervous by the minute. He doodled in his notebook, tried to force himself to listen and write down the first words he heard but then drifted off again.

 

At the end of the period, his teacher started to hand out the exams agonizingly slowly, which almost made him explode. She kept a few of them to herself.

 

“Hey,” Keith said to him while taking his backpack. “Don’t worry too much, it’s just the first exam in the year. You still have three to go to make up for this one if it went shitty.”

 

Lance nodded and waved Keith good bye as he left the room. Lance stood up.

 

“McClain, I’d like to talk to you, before you leave the room.” 

 

He knew this was coming, but he still clenched his hands as he made his way to the desk. “Yes, Ma’am?”

 

She handed him back his exam. C-. “This is definitely better than last year’s performance of yours, but it’s still not enough.” She looked at him intensely. He looked away, not standing disappointed looks. “Lance, I know you can do it. You’re doing so good in other subjects, even Maths is better than Physics. Have you thought about tutoring?”

 

His mind flashed to that one time with Keith and Pidge’s and Hunk’s ‘help’. “I uh.. I did have more help for this exam. But I will try to improve for the next one.”

 

His teacher nodded. “Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Now, see you on Thursday.”

 

He nodded back and headed out of the classroom with the papers in his hand, exhaling deeply. He didn’t notice Keith waiting for him outside.

 

“So how’d it go?” He was asked and lifted his head surprisedly. He smiled.

“Good. Thank you, Keith.”

 

\-----------------------------------

 

The week went on and he felt like the ice between him and Keith finally broke. They smiled at each other occasionally, when they were walking in a group they walked next to each other or stood next to the other in group conversations. Every now and then Pidge would smirk at Lance or Hunk would raise his eyebrows at him when Keith wasn’t looking. Keith and Lance would walk home together and when Keith wasn’t in school one day because he had a migraine, Lance even brought him his homework to the doorstep. 

 

The exam phase was just now over, so they had a couple of weeks to relax before the whole ordeal began again. Over the days they got back their exams one after another. Even their European History ones.

 

“A-! I’m so glad, man,” Lance said and looked at his paper. He leaned back in his seat and intertwined his hands behind his head.

 

Hunk and Pidge just groaned. “C- are you kidding me,” Hunk whined. Pidge nodded lazily while they rested their head on their arm. “Keith what did you get?” 

 

Keith looked up from his bag, which he just closed. “I dunno, I didn’t check. I’ll look at it after school.”

 

Lance raised an eyebrow at him. Keith caught his gaze and held it for a short while, as if he wanted to say something to him, but then looked away again. 

 

\---------------------

 

“Sooo you wanna know your grade now or not?” Lance asked when the two of them were walking home.

 

“I already do,” Keith said with a small smile on his lips he seemed to be wanting to hold back. “C+.”

 

“Holy shit, Keith, that’s amazing!” Lance jumped and hugged Keith tightly, who seemed a bit stunned, but nevertheless hugged his friend back. 

 

“I have to thank you, Lance. I would have gotten an F if it wasn’t for you,” he said and broke the hug to look at Lance. He scratched his neck unsurely. “So yeah, I owe you one. Thank you.”

 

Lance was taken aback by these words but quickly caught himself. “Hey, it’s nothing. We’ll keep working on that though, you’ll be on a B in no time.” 

 

“I hope,” Keith said. “What did you get on your physics exam, though?”

“Uff,” Lance groaned with a smile. “C-, but like… this is good. I used to have D’s on my tests last year and stuff, so I hope to improve until the next exam.”

 

“I mean… I can help you again with it, it’s no big deal. We could combine it with the history lessons.” 

 

Lance shook his head and smiled. “That’s really cute of you. But when we’re already working with our right side brain in history with all the texts it will be impossible to just switch to the left side brain. At least for me.”

 

Keith raised his eyebrows. “Wow, smart. And it really works like that?”

 

“It does!” Lance said, eager to explain. “That’s where our school system, and that of many other countries, is failing. We’re just being thrown from English to maths to history to physics and it’s messing with our brains. Without being eased into the topic it’s no wonder we’re having trouble concentrating.” for once he felt proud of himself for knowing something someone other didn’t, and to be able to explain it to them. Other than history.

 

“That’s crazy,” Keith remarked as they kept walking. “What a shitshow.”

 

“I know, right.”

 

“But still,” he continued. “I’m still gonna help you. I feel guilty for not giving you anything in return for the history lessons.” As they were walking he kept looking at the floor.

 

“I’m sure we’ll find an appropriate time, don’t worry,” Lance said.

 

“Thing is, I’m working during the week,” Keith said. “Does weekends work for you?” 

 

“Sure,” Lance shrugged. “But only under one condition.”

 

Keith looked at him unsurely. “Uhh…”

 

“We’re getting hot chocolate every week.” 

 

Lance looked at Keith seriously but with the slightest smile, earning a shove against the arm after a shocked second.

 

“Idiot. Yeah, sure,” Keith said shaking his head. 

 

“Glad that’s settled then.”

 

\----------------------------------------

 

And that’s how the week continued. They agreed to start the tutoring lessons the next week, exams have just ended and they just needed some time off. This In-between-time is what Lance loved most about school. You could go to classes without being stressed, and when you got home you most likely didn’t even have homework since the teachers just started a new topic or something. It was when you had time for friends or yourself. So, of course, Nyma texted him out of the blue.

 

**Nyma:** Hey, I wanted to ask if you’re up to get some coffee today? I just want to make sure you’re ok after the last party haha

 

He was sitting lazily in math not paying attention when he got the message. So, of course, he answered right away.

 

**Lance:** Sure! Don’t worry though :P

 

The day went by pretty fast, classes were filled with chatter and not much actual class. He was looking forward to meeting up with Nyma since she was a party that wasn’t really involved in his school life. He could tell her everything, she was the only one who wasn’t exactly involved in anything. 

 

After he said good-bye to his friends, he made his way to the cafe a few blocks over where they usually got coffee. Putting his headphones in his ears and his hands in his warm pockets he made a turn into the street leading to the cafe, only to see a white blond mane quivering from laughter. He stopped and jumped back behind the building.

 

He waited for a few seconds, then peeked past the corner again. Lotor and his squad of idiots were a few meters next to the coffee shop, and there seemed to be no way past them. He sighed.

 

Gathering himself again he walked back where he came from and went the long way around the block from the other side. He peeked around the corner again, but saw the gang already leaving, walking towards where he had stood previously.

 

Quickly he skipped to the shop and entered it, without drawing too much attention with his footsteps. Inside, he already spotted Nyma sitting at a table for two.

 

“Hey! Where were you?” She immediately asked as soon as she saw him approaching. 

 

“Oh, you know, I took it slow since I thought you we’re gonna be late as always,” he played it down, chuckling slightly. He quickly ordered a cup of coffee from a passing waiter and sat down in front of her.

 

“Me? You’re always late!” She protested, boxing his shoulder playfully. “So how have you been? You left the party early.”

 

Lance shrugged, looking away from her. “I don’t know, the party was really good, but after…”

 

“Lotor, right? He didn’t see you, did he?” 

 

“No, no,” he said, waving his hands. “But suddenly I just realized how tired I was and that I didn’t really want to stay anymore. I mean I did walk home with Keith-”

 

“YOU-”

 

“But as soon I was home I found it really good I had left. You know how after 3 am nothing happens anymore? Yeah.” 

 

Nyma nodded. She noticed how Lance wasn’t really up for games. “So what’s up with you and Keith?”

 

As soon as she put it like that, tiny almost unnoticeable butterflies kicked in. He felt his face flush a little and smiled. “Nothing’s up. Things are great, and we’re just playing around, you know how that is,” he explained.

 

Nyma nodded again. With a smirk, she said: “So no cheeky intentions, ooor-”

 

“You’re unbelievable,” he laughed. “Of course but like… Not yet. He’s a sweet guy.” 

 

“He really is. I hope you two don’t do anything reckless and it all goes to shit because I really like both of you.”

 

“Nah,” Lance said. He shook his head, as he thought more about it. “I wanna take it slow. Time isn’t running, so I’m not rushing.” 

 

In the moment of silence the coffee Lance ordered was put in front of him. He stared at the wobbling milk foam. The moment stretched too long, his eyebrows furrowed and he wondered; what were Keith’s intentions? Did they really share the same ones?

 

He snapped out of when Nyma started talking again. “So nothing happened yet?”

 

He shook his head a little to focus on her again. “Not really. We made out a little but that’s about it. But I was at his place on Sunday because of school stuff, I packed something from him he needed that day.”

 

Nyma raised an eyebrow but said nothing. 

 

“Though… I did stay for a few hours,” he added chuckling, looking at the ceiling.

 

“Oooh, now the tea is being spilled,” Nyma said, lifting the mug to her smirking lips. 

 

“No, it’s not like that!” Lance defended himself, kicking her shin softly, laughing at her almost choking on coffee. He leaned his chin on his hand. “It was really sweet, we drank hot chocolate and snuggled up on his couch and…” He trailed off staring into space, remembering the day. It  _ had _ been really nice and sweet of Keith to be so hospitable. 

“Shit, man,” Nyma said, rolling him into reality yet again with her laugh. “You sound like a married couple.”

 

“Oh shut up. Why don’t we discuss your love life for once?” 

 

“That’s because I don’t have one, simple as that.” Nyma sipped her coffee. 

 

“Yeah right, asshole,” Lance teased her, pinching her cheek. “What about that Kara girl you mentioned the other day?” 

 

The dyed blonde turned instantly pink. “Oh  _ her… _ she’s.. just a friend.”

 

“This is painful to watch,” Lance said, burying his head in his hands. “Just ask her out!”

 

“You ask Keith out!”

 

“We’re getting there!”

 

“Well, me too!”

 

And just like that, all weird feelings have flown away and they were back at bickering like the old friends they were.

 

\--------

 

On the walk back to school to pick up his bike he kicked a few pebbles in his way, watching as they skipped over the concrete and came to a skittering halt. Then he kicked them again. He didn’t even notice the leaves on the ground whirling around and up up up into the air until he felt the wind in his own hair, messing it up. He looked around and the trees’ crowns have started to sway softly in the rhythm. 

 

He picked up his pace of walking, when he got to the school there was already dust flying around and the wind was tugging at his clothes. He quickly retrieved his bike and tried to push it up the hill as fast as possible, but he had crouch to dodge the wind as best as possible, air rushing past his ears. As he got on his bike, kicking in the pedals was way harder than expected. The wind made him tip to one side or the other, several times he had to kick himself off the floor to get back in balance again, and since a drizzle kicked in his vision was impaired too.

 

It was only about a kilometre until he was home when he heard a loud crack and a tree branch land right next to him on the road. He looked at it surprisedly and went all in to come home as soon as possible, but as he picked up speed, still looking at the branch he sensed a large bump under his front wheel, and like in slow motion the bike tipped and very slowly but at the same time inevitably, he saw the concrete closing in on him - and his face. 

 

He lifted his hand just in time to avoid a direct collision, still, the velocity of the fall made him skitter on his face before stopping. He breathed through the shock of what just happened and slowly untucked his hands from under his body. 

 

“Aah,” Lance quietly whimpered. He sat up. It was still windy as hell and the rain had gotten worse. His clothes, especially his pants were getting soaked, so he decided he’d better get going again. His mom would be worried sick if he didn’t come home soon in this storm. 

 

He turned around to his bike. At least nothing had happened to it. Lance picked it up and found that nothing hurt anymore, so he went for the hell of it and climbed on it again and sped home.

 

“Mom, I’m home!” He yelled and quickly ran past the steamy kitchen up the stairs to avoid his mother’s hawkeye.

 

“Hijo, did you get wet?” She called after him worriedly. “Dinner is ready soon!”

 

“No Mama,” he shouted, dripping with rain water, “I’ll take a shower though, don’t wait up for me!” 

 

He closed the door after barging into his room, immediately stripping down to his underwear, discarding his wet clothes. He let himself fall backwards on his bed. The minutes ticked by, his breathing calmed down, and he started to feel the throbbing - in his knee, hand, forehead, nose, lip. He was shivering. Slowly he got up and went into the bathroom after making sure to avoid mirrors as well as family members.

 

He got into the shower and washed the grime, sweat, rainwater and blood off of him, and after feeling more or less alive again, his body was now hurting big time. The adrenaline had worn off and his wrist was stiff and scraped as hell. His left knee was, too, as well as his eyebrow, there was a scratch on his nose and his lip was busted. He almost had a shock when he looked in the mirror. 

 

Silently he stepped into his room again, threw on some comfy clothes and let himself fall on his bed once more; this time more carefully. He inspected his hand. He was able to turn it, but the bottom of it where the hand just starts was scraped up badly. At least it was his non dominant hand. 

 

He tried to bend his knee slowly, and even that was possible, even if a little hurtful.

 

Rolling over Lance got the blanket from under himself and snuggled up under it, taking his phone into his hands. Luckily it was also saved from any damage.

 

**Lance:** uff you guys I don’t wanna go to school tomorrow

 

**Pidge:** same 

 

**Pidge:** but whats up?

 

**Lance:** My face is messed up T-T

 

**Hunk:** what are you talking about

 

**Lance:** 1 Attachment

 

**Hunk:** LANCE WHAT HAPPENED 

 

**Lance:** fell during the storm. Now I gotta get up earlier because I don’t know if I’m able to ride my bike ughh

 

**Pidge:** shit that sucks. Maybe Keith will give you a ride ;)

 

**Lance:** Yeah sure

 

**Lance:** Anyway see you tomorrow, I’m sooo tired

 

**Pidge:** ummm its not even 7pm

 

**Hunk:** yeah you should rest. Did you hit your head badly? Does it still hurt? Are you dizzy?

 

**Lance:** A little, all of it

 

**Hunk:** hmm buddy can you do me a favour and set an alarm for like.. 3 am and text me if you're awake. Bc this may be a concussion

 

**Pidge:** Yeah Matt had a concussion once and they had to wake him every 30 mins to check his blood pressure and pupils to make sure he isn’t in a coma

 

**Lance:** Wow thanks, guys. But sure, I’ll do that. See ya at 3am, nightie

 

**Hunk:** Night Lance

 

**Pidge:** Nightiee

  
  


As promised, he woke up at 3, texted his friends in the delirium and fell asleep again promptly without hitting send. That night he didn’t dream about anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BRUH this took me so fucking long i could almost call it a writers block but i just kept writing bc if i stopped now we wouldnt see the end of it looool. anyway thanks for reading, tell me whatcha think! we're like, one third through the fic!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> no proofread we die like men

The next morning Lance woke up in agony. His body felt stiff and simply shredded. Moving his limbs he slowly sat up, letting his feet touch the ground. He inspected himself; his knees have started bleeding at night again so there was a little blood smeared around the area (and his blankets). His left hand simply refused to cooperate with him, the skin was tugging the movements in weird ways, and the scraped area wasn’t helping.

 

Sighing heavily he stood up. He moved his shoulders and neck while walking to his mirror, and they started to loosen up a little. Then he spotted his face in front of him, surprising him a little. It looked relatively okay, nothing too disgusting, the scratch on the bridge of his nose was just superficial, most of the blood has gone away in his shower yesterday. His lip was still visibly busted. But what really worried him was his forehead, especially around his left eyebrow. There was a crust forming, with some minor scratches around it, but the worst? It scratched his eyebrow too. He prayed to God that no scar would form, leaving his eyebrow patchy.

 

The more he looked at himself, the more he realized how hideous it looked, so he quickly picked out a comfy outfit, and paired it with a beanie, pulling it down on the left side.

 

On his (painfully slow) way down his stomach started to grumble. He hadn’t eaten anything the evening before he remembered, so he grabbed a banana on the way outside.

 

The walk to school was long and agonizing. He had avoided his mother this morning again, he’d deal with her in the afternoon. He just didn’t want to worry her.

 

After about 20 minutes he felt a small hand at his elbow.

 

“Hey Pidge,” he said after noticing the person was holding onto him while rolling next to him on rollerblades.

 

“Good morning idiot, how are you feeling?”

 

Even though they had insulted him, he noticed the question and that Pidge was genuinely interested in his wellbeing.

 

“Walking hurts, but other than that I’m fine.” He cracked a small smile and looked in their curious face.

 

“Oh man. What about crutches?”

 

He shook his head. “Nah, it’s not that bad. Also,” he added and lifted his hand to show his messed up palm. Pidge’s eyes widened.

 

“Damn! That must hurt like hell.” Lance nodded. “You umm. You never texted us, by the way.”

 

Lance jumped. “Shit! I didn’t? I’m so sure I did! I am so sorry, did Hunk worry a lot?”

 

Pidge shook their head grinning. “We saw you typing, so we figured you were alive. No worries.”

 

Lance sighed and nodded. He felt bad for worrying his friends, especially Hunk. Together they walked/rolled to school, greeted by Hunk engulfing Lance in a big but gentle hug.

 

“You look even worse in person,” the big guy said.

 

Lance scoffed. “Gee, thanks. Sorry for not texting this night, by the way.” ‘It looks way worse under the beanie’, he thought to himself.

 

Hunk waved it off. “It’s okay, we saw you were online. Do you still have a headache?”

 

Moving his head a little Lance tested if it was still hurting. He shook his head no. “It’s fine I think. I’m gonna be okay.”

 

Hunk nodded, and together they walked into the school building. It took some time though, because Lance had found out that climbing stairs was worse than walking. He had to take each step individually, sideways. His friends helped him with his bag and waited patiently until they had reached the top together. It took some time, and as soon as Lance had arrived he was exhausted again. It beat him up that a simple task like climbing the stairs was taking so much from him. He realized that he had taken his health for granted.

 

Walking into class he kept his gaze low, successfully avoiding people to look at him. He took his things out of his bag, already praying to god to make the day go by quickly.

 

“Good morning, class,” Mr Bo called as he entered the room, placing his bag on the desk. He spotted Lance’s beanie. “Lance, you know the rules.”

 

“Can’t I keep it on this one time, please?” Lance almost begged his teacher. By now, everyone was staring at him.

 

“Sorry, can’t do. No exceptions.”

 

Grabbing the beanie from the back of his head he pulled it to the front and off of his head, exposing the wound on his eyebrow, starting a murmur go through the room.

 

“Lance, do you need to go to the nurse?” Mr Bo asked.

 

“I’m fine, just- I’m fine.”

 

His teacher nodded and started with today’s topic. Some seats away Keith leaned over to him.

 

“You okay? What happened?” He whispered.

 

‘Later’ Lance mouthed to him, sending him a tiny crooked smile to ease the worry a little.

 

Unsurely Keith nodded and turned back to the front again. As the sky lightened Lance felt the headache returning. His eyelids drooped and he tried his hardest to not fall asleep right there. He felt cold as well, and he realized that staying at home would’ve been the better option. He was sure if he rested for one day, things would go back to normal.

 

After class the group tried their best to walk in Lance’s pace. He tried his best too, walking as quick as he was able to and laughing at their jokes. Like this the day stretched into eternity. Long walks, weird stares, and tiredness. As the end of classes were approaching Lance almost wept of joy, proud of himself to have survived the day.

 

“Do you need a ride, buddy?” Keith asked as Lance was about to take the long walk home.

 

“Are you here by car?”

 

“What else idiot,” Keith laughed. He waved and turned without seeing if Lance was coming or not.

 

Lance caught up with him in agony, turning into the way behind the school that led into the parking lot. As soon as they were out of sight, Keith turned to him.

 

“You really are an idiot, huh?” He said, eyeing Lance’s bruises and cuts.

 

“You could say that,” the injured boy shrugged, looking at the ground.

 

Keith sighed deeply. He lifted his hand, touching Lance’s eyebrow softly. “Does that hurt?”

 

Lance shook his head, even though the soft pressure was amplified by the bruise.

 

Keith’s hand wandered down to cup Lance’s cheek, who looked up, almost gasping at the look on Keith’s face. He would’ve never expected so much worry in his eyes, eyebrows raised, mouth slightly open.

 

“I’m fine,” Lance lied, looking away again.

 

Keith sighed yet again, stood on his tiptoes, giving a small peck to the aching area.

 

“What about your nose? Is it bad?”

 

Again, shaking of a head. Keith kissed the bridge of the nose as well. His thumb crossed the small distance to Lance’s bottom lip, brushing over it. He looked up into Lance’s eyes askingly, who replied with the shortest of head shakes.

 

Keith lifted his other hand too to cup the taller boy’s face, and brought it to his own.

 

Keith’s lips felt cool on Lance’s, spreading a soothing effect on the bruise. Both of them had held their breaths, but as soon as their lips parted again, they let out a small simultaneous sigh. Still nose to nose their eyes lifted to look at each other, but to both of their surprises, no one looked away awkwardly, they didn’t giggle or make fun of each other. Neither of them dared to. They just held each other’s gaze, one looking worried, the other apologetic.

 

Lance raised the corner of his mouth, letting out a huff and breaking the spell. “Thank you.”

 

Keith rolled his eyes smiling just like Lance. “C’mon, let’s get you home,” he announced, grabbing his friend by the arm, walking to the car with him. “How did you even manage this? I mean you said you fell off your bike but how the hell. Were you at the doctor’s office?”

 

“I uh..,” Lance trailed off. “The storm yesterday started just as I was driving home from the cafe near the school. I didn’t see a branch that had fallen to the ground and drove over it.”

 

“Where was that?”

 

“Shortly after the hill, so like… near your house I think?” Lance thought about it as Keith unlocked the car and they got in. “Shit man, I almost hit myself in the goddamn face with my own knee, why is the seat so far in the front, good lord,” he started swearing.

 

“Just move it back, idiot. How did you get home, though?” Keith looked more than confused now.

 

Lance moved the seat back, stretching his legs a little. “What do you mean? I kept going until I was home, what else could I have done?”

 

Keith’s head made a sharp turn to look at Lance.  He made a pause to see if Lance was joking. Apparently he wasn’t. “You’re telling me you were bleeding all over the place and you still got on your bike in that weather and drove home?”

 

“Was there an alternative? I was pumped with adrenaline anyway, nothing hurt. Stop worrying so much, Keith.” Lance really didn’t understand where the problem was.

 

“I’m not worrying,” Keith defended himself. He closed the car door and started the engine. He put one hand behind Lance’s seat and looked back, reversing out of the parking spot. “It’s just that it wasn’t the smartest thing to do.”

 

“It doesn’t matter. It’s over now and I’m fine.”

 

They looked at each other for a short and stern moment, Keith pressing his lips together, but he let it go and started driving. Lance still saw his mind working, eyebrows barely noticeably furrowed behind the boy’s fringe, but he let it go as well. It was just some bruises. Guys hurt themselves all the time, didn’t they?

 

Lance leaned back, enjoying the way home he didn’t have to walk. The streets were still littered with branches, leaves, dirt, and other junk that you usually found on the street. There were some housewives and old house owners who had started cleaning up their front lawn and even the sidewalks. They talked to each other over the fences, probably about how bad the storm had been.

 

“Oh, and Lance?”

 

Lance looked back to his friend who was concentrated on dodging fallen branches on the street. “Hmm?”

 

“In the following time I’m gonna pick you up. You’re in no condition to walk to school and back everyday.”

 

“That’s not very eco-friendly,” Lance said, crossing his arms in front of him.

 

Keith scoffed. “Would you rather walk?”

 

“Umm, yeah?”

 

“Well, I don’t allow it.” Keith shrugged.

 

Now it was Lance’s turn to scoff. “You don’t _allow_ it? Well too bad that I can do whatever I want.”

 

“Not in that condition, you can’t.”

 

Lance wrung his hands. “Fine, ugh. You’re annoying, you know that?”

 

“I’ve been told.” Keith countered. Lance rose his eyebrows but said nothing. “You know I don’t know where you live, you gotta tell me.”

 

“Right! Sorry. Stay on the lane that leads to your house, but don’t turn into your street, just stay on it for a couple minutes,” he instructed. He watched how Keith squinted a little from time to time, how he held the steering wheel, or how he straightened his back every few minutes.

 

“Is there something on my face?” He asked, turning a little to Lance but keeping his eyes on the road.

 

“What? No,” Lance said and turned to the front again quickly.

 

“Then stop gawking.”

 

“I wasn’t.”

 

“Whatever.” Keith rose one hand to rub his eyes.

 

Lance didn’t like the way Keith was today. He seemed tired and not himself. But he knew better than to ask, he wouldn’t get a proper answer anyway. Instead he started humming a soft tune of a song he used to hear all the time as a child, but didn’t know where it came from. As he saw Keith lightly tapping the steering wheel, Lance smiled to himself.

“Turn left at the next street, and then right, then we’re there,” Lance announced after some time.

 

Keith nodded and did as told, coming to a halt smoothly in front of Lance’s house. “Well, here we are, buddy.”

 

“Thanks, man,” Lance answered and got out of the car with only some trouble. “Really. It means a lot.”

 

“Don’t mention it,” Keith said, shaking his head. “I’ll be here 7.40, alright?”

 

Lance was about to object, but he was way too tired to do so. They’d just argue. “Sure, thanks. See ya.”

 

Keith nodded with a small smile and drove off, leaving Lance on the street. He turned to his house. Now the hard part: telling his mother.

 

He walked up the porch and unlocked the front door, listening to the sounds in the house. He heard Sara and Daniel argue in the living room, his Mom cussing at them.

 

He took a breath. “Mom, I’m home!”

 

“Lance, dear, have you eaten this morning? You went to bed without dinner yesterday!” She yelled from the living room.

 

“Uhh, yeah sure!” He thought about the banana this morning. He heard some commotion in the room and contemplated: should he go in there and show his face? His siblings wouldn’t be scared, right? They thought stuff like this was cool. “Mama, can I tell you something, but promise not to get mad-”

 

“What did you do this time, Lance?” She asked, sticking her head out of the door.

 

He quickly covered his face, peeking through his fingers. “You know the storm yesterday? I was on my way by bike and I fell…”

 

“You fell?” She asked angrily, but the worry was written all over her face. She walked up to him and swatted his hands away. Her eyes grew big. “Good lord, Lance! We have to get you a doctor-”

 

“No! Please Mom, I’m okay I promise it doesn’t even hurt, please,” he tried to convince her.

“What did Lance do!” Sara shouted, running into the hall. At his sight, she gasped. It stung a little. “Look, Daniel, Lance got beat up!”

 

“I’m okay, I swear,” Lance said to his mother. “I just want to eat something and go to bed then.”

 

The small woman looked up at her lanky son, putting her hand on his cheek. It was obvious she wanted him to see a doctor, but as he voiced the two things he actually wanted right now - food and sleep - and the fact that she was able to give him just that, seemed to calm her down. “Of course, sweetheart. Sara go into the living room again, Lance needs rest! I was about to start cooking anyway now, sit down…” She pushed him over into the kitchen, where he sat down and started taking off his shoes and jacket. She busied herself with the stove, pots and pans and ingredients for the meal, trying not to glance to often to her injured son.

 

“Wait til Dad comes home, he’ll joke around that a man needs bruises once in a while,” she chuckled.

 

“Yeah,” he laughed awkwardly about that. He watched her cut onions and potatoes and get the spices out of the cupboards. “Oh and about walking to school, my friend is gonna pick me up, you don’t need to worry about that. He has a car.” His voice had gotten softer than he intended it to.

 

“Oh yeah? I thought Hunk didn’t have a driver’s license,” she said curiously, chopping vegetables.

 

“No, it’s another one, he’s new…”

 

“How come you never told me about him? He should come visit, how rude to not invite him,” his mother scolded.

 

“No it’s- we’re not that close. We’re getting there, Mama.” He thought about their relationship and how it has changed in the last weeks. He wondered. It was weird how close he was to his mother, and yet she didn’t know a lot of things about him and his life. He loved her insanely much and their relationship was the strongest he had, but then again a friendship was so much different, wasn’t it? She knew so much about him, but she also knew close to nothing. The human being and its social layers was way too complex to be contemplated now, tired and hungry.

 

“Well, you seem to like him. Where is he from? Does he have a lot of new friends at your school?”

 

“Not exactly, it’s just me, Pidge and Hunk with him.” He deliberately left out Keith’s history of another school, and maybe his mother noticed.

 

„Well, I’m glad you care for him. It’s probably good he has you guys. You should invite him over some time. He’s welcome here,” she said matter-of-factly.

 

It warmed Lance’s heart. It was so obvious to her that all her children’s friends were welcome, whether they’ve known them for years or only days. This is what he liked about his house. There were always people there, whether it was the neighbour for a cup of coffee, Sara’s friends for a playdate, or Ana Sofia’s best friend. Or boyfriend. Lance sighed.

 

“Mom, what do you think of Mason?” He asked unsurely. For an almost unnoticeable moment she stopped chopping but continued then.

 

“I don’t know, is there anything I should think of him?”

 

“I…” Lance began, thinking about how he should say that Mason was a big douchebag, or if he should say it at all. He decided. “I heard a lot of shit about him, Mom, and I think he won’t treat Ana well. I was at a party once, and he was there as well…”

 

His mother turned around, looking at him intensely. Lance thought she would mock him for saying such things, but she listened.

 

“Well, he almost assaulted someone,” he admitted. “His friends back then were cheering for him and stuff. I don’t know. Maybe Ana Sofia shouldn’t be around him anymore.”

 

Lance’s mother sighed and nodded. “I will talk to her about it. Don’t worry about her.” She turned to the kitchen counter again, continuing her work, when the kitchen door opened a little.

 

“Laaaance, Sara said you got beat up,” Daniel said, sticking his head in.

 

“No, I didn’t, idiot,” Lance laughed, moving so his siblings could sit down on the chairs next to him. They shuffled into the room and looked at him with big eyes. “I fell off my bike, and if you don’t watch out while you’re out cycling, you might fall as well and end up worse than me.”

 

Sara gasped. “No! I wear helmets! Did you wear one?”

 

Lance shook his head. “See? That’s where you’re smarter than me. You still need to be careful.”

 

“Did it hurt a lot?” She asked. “Can I touch your face?”

 

“Me too!” Daniel said, as Lance nodded.

 

“Don’t mess around with Lance’s face with your dirty hands!” Their mother yelled, shooing the younger ones out of the room. “I’ll call when the food is ready, until then don’t bother coming in!”

 

Lance laughed at his siblings rushing out of the kitchen giggling, and leaned back in his chair again.

As his mother and him talked, the air began to fill with the amazing smell of the food. He grew even more tired because of this, but didn’t let his mother know. He listened to her as she told him the newest neighbourhood gossip, apparently the daughter next door got engaged. Lance used to be friends with her, but after sometime they grew apart, then she moved out with her boyfriend. Lance’s mother told him that her parents would throw an engagement party in the future, they were invited.

 

When the food was finally being served Lance couldn’t wait to go all in. He had to force himself to slow down, and when he was about to finish his plate his mother put even more on it. The hot food didn’t even have time to cool down, but he barely noticed it. He finished his third plate and sank against the backrest. His head swam, his mother noticed immediately that he was in great need of a nap.

 

“Go upstairs, Lance, you need to digest!” His mother said and ushered him out of the kitchen, taking the plate from his hands.

 

After he was basically kicked out of the kitchen he dragged himself up the stairs and letting himself fall on the bed. The day had been exhausting and challenging, but the stares had been the worst. He felt constantly watched, even more so than usual, because now it wasn’t from his style of clothing but the nasty injuries on his face that could’ve been done by anything and more importantly, anybody.

 

But the day had ended very nicely, in his opinion. He touched his lips where the crust had formed, still remembering the ghost of Keith’s. He looked at the ceiling, letting his eyes and mind wander. He also thought about how angry he had become when Lance talked about his recklessness on his way home. Which also irritated him. Why was he being so difficult? It’s not like Lance needed to be in top shape at the moment, there were no exams, no responsibilities no-

 

“Oh no,” he murmured to himself. He had forgotten rehearsals, which were the very next day. He was sure they were gonna rip him apart; they were following a strict schedule now. Since the actors all got assigned their roles now and they had already gotten their scripts, it was now time to start learning their places, scripts, movements and cues by heart. They hadn’t talked about most of it yet, but Mr Coran would kick their ass if they weren’t gonna keep up.

 

Lance rolled over and reached for the script on his desk, throwing it next to him on the mattress. He leaned on his arm and started flipping through the pages. Sure was a lot, huh.

 

He sat up again, snatching a  few markers from his desk, flipped back to the first page and started highlighting every single word he would be saying in pink and the stage directions in green. By the time he was done his eyes were falling shut, but he forced them open. He went back to the beginning once again and marked every title of the scenes he’d appear in yellow. Not much, but difficult enough if your eyes keep crossing over from fatigue. He didn’t even reach the end when he dozed off into an uncomfortable nap.

 

The dream was unclear, and very quickly forgotten after he woke up. But the thing that stayed was his family, gathering for a family picture, but there were some additional people. Over Elena’s shoulder was Pidge’s arm hugging her, Sara was sitting on Hunk’s shoulders and Keith was just about dragged into the picture by Lance’s mother and his dad clapped him on the back when the flash lit up.

 

They went to inspect the picture, but on it Lance’s injuries looked a little worse, like he had thought in the beginning they’d look, when he initially fell. Weird.

 

Confused he woke up from his nap, flashing a look in his mirror. Everything was still as it was. He looked at the highlighter in his hand, which was still uncapped.

 

“Ugh,” he groaned and quickly finished marking his scenes (with some rubbing, since the felt tip had dried a little), and put the cap back on. He threw the things back on his desk, taking his phone. There was an actual unread message - from Keith.

 

 **Keith:** Tomorrow 7.40. Don’t forget and don’t think about walking on your own.

 

Lance had to laugh at that.

 

 **Lance:** I know for a fact that my chauffeur would pester me the whole walk home, I ain’t taking that risk

 

For the rest of the evening Lance didn’t do much, he went down for dinner where his Dad - as predicted - made jokes. “I bet the other guy looks worse, huh?”

 

Lance chuckled. “Yeah, he does.”

 

When they had finished eating, the doorbell rang. His father and siblings except Ana Sofia had already left to go watch TV in the living room, leaving the three of them to clean the table. Lance liked helping his mother tidy up, especially now that she had cared so much for him this afternoon. He left the kitchen to open the door to a heavy breathing Mrs Kaya, their lovely turkish neighbour.

 

“Oh Lance, is your mother at home?” She asked frantically, a hand on her pregnant belly.

 

The _much_ taller boy looked shocked down at the chubby short woman, already reaching for the car keys. “Is everything okay Mrs Kaya? Your water didn’t break, did it? _You’re only 34 weeks Mrs-_ ”

 

But she shook her head, leaning on the doorframe. “The baby is well. I just- I received bad news.”

 

“Oh, of course. Come in please-” Lance said and put his hand on her back, kicking the door shut with his foot behind him and leading her into the kitchen where Ana Sofia was just wiping the table. “Take a seat Ma’am, I’m gonna make you a tea.”

 

Mrs Kaya sat down on one of the kitchen chairs, leaning on the table. Mrs McClain immediately rushed to her friend. “Is everything okay, dear? Please, calm down first.”

 

Lance turned around and started the tea kettle, then helped Ana Sophia with the dishes. She nudged closer to him and whispered, “What’s up?”

 

“I don’t know,” he hissed as the women behind them started talking. “But nothing with the baby.”

 

“Thank god,” she said, just for the sake of saying something. In reality the siblings listened closely to the conversation behind them.

 

“My brother, you know…” Oh, her brother. He was an unfortunate fella. He constantly got himself into problems and stuff. He was a firefighter, you know, so his family was always worried that something would happen to him. Apparently today was the day. “He got in an accident.”

 

“Oh heavens,” Mrs McClain sighed.

 

Lance and his sister shot each other quick glances. He poured the hot water into a big mug and a small one, dropping a chamomile tea bag in both, for calming purposes. He placed the cups on saucers and assembled them on a tray together with two teaspoons, as well as honey and sugar, all while listening to the conversation.

 

“They were working on removing branches and stuff from houses and streets, and apparently, somehow, a…” Lance heard her clear her throat. “A branch fell on him, and…” she trailed off.

 

Lance picked up the tray and set it on the table, smiling at Mrs Kaya.

 

“Thank you, Lance. Tell, what happened to your face?”

 

“I just fell, don’t worry,” Lance said and smiled at the small woman. “It’s okay.”

 

She smiled back and went back to what she was saying, but her expression was visibly confused. “My, now I forgot what I was saying.”

 

“Lance, Ana Sofia, go to your father, we need some lady time together,” Lance’s Mother spoke up. “Lance, you go rest your hand.”

 

The siblings looked at each other over their shoulders, Ana Sofia turned off the faucet, dried her hands. They exited the room.

 

“Poor Mrs Kaya,” Ana Sofia said, sighing. “Always worrying about him.”

 

“Yeah,” Lance replied. “Say, how are things with Mason?”

 

His sister looked at him surprised. “Uh, good I guess?”

 

“That’s good.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

\------------------

 

The next morning Lance woke up later than usual, and it was amazing. He stretched and ignored the pain in his knee. He got dressed in a warm oversized pullover, put a small pin in his hair (with a glittery plastic star on it) and cotton pants. Today wasn’t a fancy day, and he felt it. Much more cozy and mild.

 

He put his script into his bag and put on the same beanie as yesterday, he’d wear it in between classes.

 

At 7:40 sharp he heard a car pull up in front of their house.

 

“There’s an emo in our driveway!” Elena shouted, looking out of the kitchen window.

 

“That’s not an emo, that’s Keith,” Lance said chuckling and opened the door. “I’m out, bye!”

 

He shut the door and walked to the car, smiling at the driver. “Good morning, emo,” he announced, getting into the passenger seat.

 

“Wow, now I even got a label,” Keith chuckled, putting his hand behind Lance’s seat to look back, backing out of the driveway.

 

“By the way, you don’t have to pick me up after school. I have rehearsals anyway,” Lance said. He couldn’t wait until the day was over, and it wasn’t even 8 am.

 

“Okay, sure,” Keith said, sounding distracted.

 

There was a small silence, and something needing to be addressed, but both didn’t know what, so they kept their mouth shut. Lance sighed, looking out of the window, closing his eyes for a moment.

 

“Didn’t get much sleep?” Keith asked.

 

“No, I did. I’m just. I don’t know, has been quite a week.”

 

“You’re right. Good that it’s Friday.”

 

Lance just hummed back, lost in thoughts. He didn’t even know why he felt so weird, but he decided not to ponder anymore and just let his mind wander. That’s when he felt Keith’s hand on his thigh, just resting there. He almost jumped, but then caught himself, smiling a little. Today was going to be a calm day, he hoped.

 

\-----------------------------

 

“Shut the FUCK up!” Michael, a member of their ensemble who played Benvolio, yelled at Mercutio, or Marcus. “I want to get through this in time.” Hell broke loose.

 

“I’m about to lose my fucking chill, Allura,” Lance whined, head in her lap. “My head hurts.”

 

They were sitting in a circle on the stage, going through their lines and clearing up stage directions, and adding things. Paper was lying all over the floor, such as pens, shawls, pencil cases, snacks, as well as their patience.

 

“Oh,” Allura cooed, brushing over his hair, “don’t worry.” She stopped and put her hands over his ears. She cleared her throat. “SILENCE!” She yelled at the top of her lungs, making most of them shut up. “You guys are headache worthy, we have twenty minutes to go, until then I don’t want to hear ANYTHING!”

 

“But-” Marcus started, but Allura shut him up.

 

“SILENCE I SAID!”

 

And that was that. She continued brushing Lance’s hair, and nodded to Benvolio to carry on with his line.

 

The day had already been exhausting as hell, but rehearsals were always the cherry on top, especially when they had to concentrate. Then their brain juice was used up in about half an hour.

 

Afterwards Lance’s eyes were practically falling shut. Mentally he was exhausted, he was hungry, his body was strained after walking stairs up and down, and laying in Allura’s lap put him in a proper sleepy mood.

 

A little wonky on his feet he walked out of the building, just to see a very familiar car and an even more familiar smoking driver lean against it in the parking lot. Letting out a sigh of relief Lance walked up to the car, into the weekend.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi thanks for reading the worst chapter so far and not being angry after i posted TWO joshler oneshots before updating this story. if you hate me thats ok, 1. join the club but also 2. get in line lol 
> 
> thank u


	8. viii

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sleepover time

“You bastard,” Lance laughed, approaching Keith. “I told you not to pick me up.”

“And I told you that you’re in no condition to walk home all by yourself,” Keith said, squeezing his cigarette in a nearby ashtray. “C’mon, wanna get home, or not?” 

Lance rolled his eyes but smiled, getting in the passenger seat. “I was thinking, maybe we could start studying for physics this weekend? I don’t wanna get behind.”

“Sure,” Keith said, reversing out of the parking lot. “How about now?” 

“Keith, no offense buddy, but I am… I’m useless right now. My brain is mush.” 

“Or you could pull yourself together and then have a free weekend.”

Lance pulled his legs on the seat and leaned against the window. “Or I could take a nap.”

“So are we gonna study at your place or mine?” Keith asked, not caring about Lance’s whining. 

“My place is full with people,” Lance mumbled.

“Mine it is then.” 

Keith did have some trouble getting Lance out of the car, but in the end he cooperated and together they discarded their bags, shoes and jackets.

“Are you hungry?” Keith asked, already walking into the kitchen but Lance headed for the living room, lying down on the couch. 

“I’m just so tired,” he mumbled into the cushions.

“What was that?” Keith walked into the living room, only to find Lance close to knocked out. “Oh no buddy, you ain’t sleeping. What if my Dad comes home?”

“I don’t care.”

He sighed. “C’mon, we’re going into my room.”

That’s when Lance lifted his head. “Ooh, I like where this is going.”

“Shut up and get off the couch.”

Eventually Lance really did get up and walked up the flight of stairs, navigated by Keith who was right behind him, carrying both their bags. It did take some time because Lance was a little slow on the stairs, but that was okay. 

“And now to your right, yes right there the room,” Keith said, following into the neat room that didn’t seem to be his. 

It had red and black accents, but Lance quickly spotted some customizations - a small band poster on the closet door, here and there some pictures, or a succulent on the window sill. “I’d make fun of your room, but…” he let himself fall on the actually quite big bed.

“Move, whale, you’re on the blankets,” Keith cussed and pulled the sheets until Lance rolled off of them. He placed them on top of the boy and sat down on the edge of the bed. “I’m giving you half an hour max.”

“Are you out of your mind, emo man? One hour minimum.”

“Forty-five minutes.”

“One hour, I stay by that and you join me,” Lance persisted and pulled Keith by his shoulders down on the pillow, lifting the blanket so they’d both be covered by it.

“I don’t think so,” Keith said, facing Lance (who had his eyes closed), noses almost touching. But he already felt the comfortable tug of just staying in bed.

“I very much think so, honey,” Lance murmured, with eyes still shut not seeing the pink on Keith’s ears. Then he opened them, brushing Keith’s fringe out of his face. “How do you see with hair like that?”

“It’s a birth given superpower,” Keith shot back, grinning.

Lance was a bit taken aback by the witty answer and chuckled. “Smart, aren’t we?” He still had his hand on Keith’s face brushing his thumb up and down.

Keith put his own hand on top of Lance’s. “Rest now, we have shit to do, remember?” 

“You really are no fun,” Lance said, studying Keith’s face with heavy lidded eyes.

“We’ll see who’s no fun when we finish studying,” Keith retorted, a slight smirk on his lips and eyebrow raised.

Now it was Lance’s turn to turn red, as he didn’t know if this was meant in a flirtatious way (surely it wasn’t, right?) or not.

Keith chuckled at his reaction. “Good night, Lance.”

And with that, they both closed their eyes and napped for two hours straight.

 

\--------------------------------------

 

“So this variable is R, right? So multiplying it with I we get V, right? Did I miss something?”

“Nope, you’re correct,” Keith said, leaning on his elbow, studying Lance who was way too focused on the task at hand. He let his eyes wander over the long slope of his nose, or his delicate eyebrows (did he groom them?) and his freckles. 

“And here the same?” Lance asked and looked at Keith who snapped out of his gawking and took a look at the paper. 

“You also have have to take the different voltage into consideration…” he began after he fully understood the question.

They had already had lunch and studied for an hour, but they decided to keep going until Lance was confident in the current topic. Physics really was a big pain, but better than chemistry. He sighed, but kept going. 

“C’mon buddy, let’s finish this assignment and call it a day, you’ve done a lot,” Keith tried to cheer his friend up. 

“Are you sure? I feel like I’m still at where I started. Ugh,” Lance said and leaned back in the chair, looking at the ceiling.

Keith moved closer, putting his hand around Lance’s shoulder. “We can watch a movie afterwards and continue tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow?” Did Keith want him to stay overnight? That stressed Lance a tiny bit to say the least. 

“I mean… yeah? Why not?” Keith asked, but then realized what he was implying. Not that he didn’t want Lance to stay overnight, but he didn’t want to sound too suggesting either. He quickly corrected himself. “We can meet up again tomorrow and go over the stuff we did today. Or I can call you if that’s more convenient for you.”

“No!” Lance interjected before thinking. “I mean, we can see tomorrow? Let’s get this task done first, though.” 

Keith quickly agreed and together they rather quickly finished studying. Both of them were quite jumpy after the short conversation but neither of them noticed, since both were too occupied with themselves and their thoughts. 

Lance gladly pushed himself away from the table after completing the exercise, stretching his arms into the air. “I can’t wait until I graduate,” he yawned. He didn’t actually mean it, he was very much enjoying his high school years, especially right now. 

“So,” Keith said, pushing himself away from his desk too. “What movie?” 

“What’s your favourite movie, emo?” Lance asked, cleaning up the desk. He noticed that it was already dark outside, even though it wasn’t that late.

“I kinda like V for Vendetta? It’s a classic, so.”

“Never seen it. Is it good?”    
“What!” Keith exclaimed, already getting his laptop. “We’re watching that, c’mon.” 

Together they made a backrest with pillows on Keith’s bed, and got some snacks out of the kitchen downstairs. The movie was quite long - over two hours.

“Get comfy because you’re about to watch the greatest movie of all time,” Keith announced pressing play on the laptop that was sitting in front of them. He leaned back against Lance’s already stretched out arm, leaning against his shoulder and pulling the blanket over them. They did notice the intimate gesture but neither said anything - because why? Both were comfortable.

“Who are they?” Lance whispered five minutes into the movie.

“Shut up, they’re like the police.” Keith poked Lance’s side, who flinched. Keith grinned to himself. 

Lance had hoped for some ‘Netflix&Chill’ kinda activity but he was way too captivated by the movie himself. Every once in a while he asked a question, like “Where is she now?” (“In a prison, dumbass.”) or “Wait, what’s going on?” (“Watch the movie!”). At the end of it, at Evey’s monologue and while the absolute masterpiece of a song was played, he even shed a tear or two. 

When the credits rolled, he sat up properly and wiped his face with his hands, rubbing his eyes. He grunted. “Damn.”

“I know, right?” Keith said. “And the movie is over ten years old.”

“The hell,” Lance said and threw the blanket back. He stretched and cracked his spine, then hugged his angled knees. “So V is dead?”

“He is.” Keith looked at Lance empathically, who took a pillow and threw it on Keith’s lap, lying his head down on it.

He stared at the ceiling, ignoring the crossed arms above of him. “But how was it possible that the world ended up in such a way? Why didn’t the activists like Evey’s parents change anything? They were many! Look how many there were in the end.”

Keith sighed and untangled his arms, putting a hand on Lance’s hair. “Sometimes it’s too late. Sometimes the government already has enough power to just do whatever it wants.”

“Imagine this would happen to us,” Lance said, “to America.”

“It won’t, not anytime soon,” Keith calmed his friend down. “If you can be this outrageously gay in public, you know there’s no reason to fear we’ll undo all of the progress.”

Lance nodded, his worry fading but not vanishing. “Maybe you’re right.”

“Of course I am, I know physics.”

Both had to laugh at that, and they started to tidy up the bed from all the food and thrown around cushions and pillows. As night grew closer they had settled on the bed again, both lying on their backs, staring at the ceiling and talking. They had turned off the lights at some point.

Lance had his hands under his head as he traced the outlines of the dark room with his eyes. “So you never went fishing then?” 

“No,” Keith said, sounding not particularly sad about it. “It sounds boring, to be frank.” 

“It is,” Lance laughed. “I’m glad my Dad never took me often to go fishing. He had to work quite a lot.”

“Same,” Keith said, nodding. “He still is, I mean busy in the garage and stuff.”

“You mean the same garage as you?” Lance asked. 

“Yup, he’s my boss.” 

“Ew.” 

Both laughed at that. 

“You won’t be working there always right? Is there something else you want to be when you graduate?”

“Hell, yes,” Keith huffed. “I won’t stay there. I was thinking about becoming an astrophysicist.”

“Wow, that’s impressive. You certainly have the brains for it.” 

Keith blushed and was glad Lance wasn’t looking at him. Instead he pressed his cold hands to his face to make his skin calm down. “What about you? What do you want to be?”

“I don’t know, I’ll probably end up at a very boring 9-5 job.” Lance shrugged.

Keith turned to his side, supporting his head on his arm that was propped up on his elbow. “You’re joking, right? There’s nothing you want to do?”

Lance glanced sideways. “I mean I want to keep doing theatre but getting there is difficult. And you have to be good, better than me.”

“I think you’re pretty good already,” Keith remarked. “You just have to try often enough, maybe you’ll get lucky and someone spots you.”

“Hmm,” Lance hummed, looking back at the ceiling. “Thank you, by the way.”

“You’re welcome, by the way.”

“Shut up,” Lance laughed and poked Keith’s sides, who promptly started cackling.

“I can’t breathe!” Keith huffed between laughs and settled against Lance’s shoulder after the poking had stopped. He was breathing heavily, still smiling. “You’re an ass.”

“Maybe so, but you still like me,” Lance said. He moved his arm so Keith could fit his head easily on his chest.

“How so,” Keith asked teasingly.

“Dude, we are literally lying in the same bed.”

Keith lifted his head, looking at Lance playfully offended. “Can’t just bros be pals? Does everything have to be gay nowadays? Damn.”

“Damn those SJWs,” Lance said shaking his head.

“The worst,” Keith agreed.

“You’re the worst.”

“You’re worser.”

“What?”   
“What?”

“Worser?” Lance said and broke out in laughter. “So much about you being smart.”

“I’m going to become an astrophysicist, not a damn linguist!” Keith defended himself, burying his face in Lance’s chest.

“Sure, sweetheart,” Lance said, kissing Keith’s hair without a second thought. “Tell yourself that.” 

“Don’t infantilize me,” Keith grumbled against Lance’s shirt.

“Okay, Mr Worser.”

Keith lifted his head to glare at the boy lying under him. “You’re seriously the worst.”

“See, and that’s where you’re wrong, because it’s actually you,” Lance elaborated.

“It’s you,” Keith replied.

“No, you,” Lance grinned. He was enjoying himself a lot.

With furrowed eyebrows, Keith’s scowl practically begged to be kissed away. 

So that’s what Lance did. Instead of to a frown, Keith’s eyebrows shot up as his eyes closed and he kissed Lance’s smiling lips back.

Their hands started to wander, Lance’s staying at Keith’s side, softly gripping it but then it turning into tiny pokes that turned into tickles again.

“Noooo,” Keith laughed as he threw himself back clutching his stomach. “You’re horrible!”

“I know,” Lance said, sticking his tongue out.

Keith rolled to the far side of the bed to the wall, facing it. “No sign of remorse even. I’m staying here.”

“Nawh, don’t be like that,” Lance said, scooting over to his friend, who said nothing. He grabbed the blanket from at the bottom of the bed and placed it on top of them. Lance gently lied down behind Keith and put his arm around the smaller boy’s waist, who still said nothing. After a few seconds though he heard an almost silent chuckle and Keith took Lance’s hand into his own.

Like this, both of them fell asleep together for the second time that day.

 

\-----------------------

 

The boys woke up due to the sun lazily creeping into the room through the window. The air in the room was a little stuffy, but it wasn’t too warm, since it was already November. Both started to stir as the light hit them. Somehow they had managed to stay in the spooning position all night, their hands interlaced together.

Keith turned on his back first and stretched himself for a few seconds, squeezing his eyes shut, letting out a small sound of strain.

“Good morning,” Lance greeted him with a smile. 

Keith turned and smiled back. “Mornin’.”

“Holy shit, your morning voice is a catastrophe,” Lance laughed softly, still sleepy and eyes half closed. He had only used the word ‘catastrophe’ to avoid the words ‘raspy’ and ‘hot’.

“Rude, I won’t talk anymore then,” Keith said, brushing his black bedhead hair out of his face. He sat up and put his hair in a ponytail with the hair tie that was tight on his wrist. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Lance staring at his exposed tummy that showed as his shirt lifted with his arms while his hands were working, so he took his sweet time. He didn’t know why, but he felt a lot more confident in the morning. Probably because he wasn’t fully conscious yet. 

Lance buried his warm face in the pillow. “Don’t be offended now.”

“C’mon get up, grumpy. Let’s get some food.”

“Ugh. That means I have to climb down stairs again. No, thank you.”

Keith sighed. He got up and opened the window, letting cool air into the room. “Stop pitying yourself. You can do it, I’ll help you. Afterwards we’ll keep studying, though.” 

A more than loud groan erupted from Lance’s chest. After a few seconds the mattress next to him dipped. A hand was placed on his shoulder.

“And afterwards… we can watch a movie? Or do whatever you want, you choose.”

A second or two passed, and Lance lifted his head to look at Keith, who laughed. 

“Your face has never looked better with those streaky pillow marks,” he said. “C’mon, let’s go. I’ll help you with the stairs.” 

Reluctantly Lance got up and stretched, before heading out of the room after Keith. On the stairs Lance pulled himself together as well as he could, so he could walk down as he normally would, and not stopping on every step with both feet. It hurt, especially since he just got up, but he told Keith that he got it. Nevertheless, Keith didn’t leave his side while they descended.

After they arrived in the kitchen, Lance sat down with a more or less repressed huff.

“So? Oatmeal? Coffee? Musli?” Keith asked, looking through his cabinets. 

“I think a coffee will suffice at first,” Lance said after not much thinking time.

Nevertheless Keith sat a bowl in front of him, turned around and pushed a button on the coffee machine. “Idiot, you need food. No wonder you’re so skinny.”

“You sound like my mother.”   
“Psh,” Keith said. He got all kinds of granola, grains, musli and milk and yoghurt out and set it on the table, as well as a small variety of fruit and started chopping them up. “I love weekends, because you have so much time in the morning for an actually tasty breakfast that makes you full as well. I don’t know why you don’t want to take advantage of that.”

“Lucky charms do the trick as well,” Lance said, with a suppressed smirk. 

Keith looked up in shock and instinctively threw a small diced piece of apple. Lance caught it with his mouth, triumphantly grinning at Keith as he chewed. “You’re horrible,” Keith said, shaking his head. He placed two cups under the coffee machine, pressed a button again and sat down on his chair again. The air filled with a nice and fresh scent of coffee, complementing the cozy atmosphere. “Also, it’s healthy.”

“Wow,” Lance said, helping Keith and cutting up a banana. “You’re that kind of person, huh.” 

“Hey, at least I’m not a vegan,” Keith said, making Lance snort of laughter.

“Don’t drag them like this,” he chuckled. As he got up to get the coffee mugs, he added, “if they didn’t exist, we’d have no one to make fun of!”

The morning passed quickly as they continued to joke around. After cleaning up the kitchen the two made their way upstairs again, even if slow. Keith had brought snacks and a water bottle with them, and put it on his desk next to the work they had left on the table last night.

“Here we fucking go again,” Lance sighed, carefully sitting down in his chair. 

“Tell you what,” Keith said. “We’re gonna do an hour first, okay? Then we’ll have a break, and you see if you want to keep going.”   
“Oof,” Lance said, already knowing he’ll stop after an hour. 

But that’s not what happened. In the end Keith had motivated Lance to work for a full two and a half hours. It even worked better than the day before, since Lance was well rested, well fed and just starting into the day. 

For lunch they decided to ditch healthy, and order take out. They made themselves comfortable on Keith’s bed again and started watching some kind of show they weren’t paying attention to, and shared their Japanese food. Lance had insisted on treating his friend to some good food, and not the classical take out garbage.

“So, Mr Gyoza,” Lance said, picking up a gyoza from Keith’s paper plate.

“Yes, Mr Sushi,” Keith said, taking an avocado maki.

“What kind of music do you listen to?” 

“Hmm, well.” Keith stopped to think. “I like all kinds of stuff that falls under metal. Also some punk. And stuff that doesn’t under any category.”

“Name a few bands.”

“Uuuh… Sleeping with sirens. Metallica. Green Day, Good Charlotte, BMTH, Pierce the veil, shit like that,” he said, eating his food absently.

“Nice, that’s good stuff,” Lance said, nodding.

“What about you?”

“Don’t laugh, okay?”

Of course, at that Keith immediately chuckled, but contained himself quickly, motioning for Lance to continue.

“Okay so, stuff you mentioned, but like… Fall Out Boy, Panic at the Disco…” He trailed off and grinned crookedly at his friend, who grinned back.

“Oh no,” Keith snorted, “So you’re that kind of person.”

Lance gasped and poked Keith with his chopsticks who just shrugged. “Rude!” 

“I’m kidding,” Keith laughed. He finished his food and leaned back against the wall. “Yo Lance.”

Lance looked up, chewing on his mochi. “Hmm?”   
“You should stop worrying about physics. It’s still some way to go until the exam, and you’re doing fine.”

Lance was kind of surprised by the nice words, but then nodded, swallowing his bite. “Yeah, no, sure. I mean- thanks, man. We’ll see how I do.” He scratched his head and smiled unsurely, when his eyes landed on the clock. “Fuck, it is afternoon already?”

“Oh,” Keith said as the realization hit him as well. “Do you have to leave?”

Lance shrugged. “I mean not immediately, but yeah… My mother will cuss me out when I stay at a friend’s house the whole weekend,” he said. 

“Let’s get going then, I don’t want your Mom to worry,” Keith said, already putting away the trash. Before Lance could intercede, he said, “Yes,  _ we.  _ I’m gonna drive you. No buts.”

Lance sighed, but just started helping Keith tidy up the room. He knew it was pointless to argue. He packed together all his stuff, made sure to not leave anything and then straightened the sheets on the bed as a final touch. He grabbed his bag and looked at Keith. “So. We ready to leave?” 

“Yes, but gimme that, idiot,” Keith said, taking Lance’s bag. “You’re not walking down the stairs with that.” He shouldered it himself and led Lance out of the room. Again, it took sweet time until they reached the ground floor, but he didn’t mind. 

Lance put on his shoes, not caring enough to tie them, put on his jacket, and motioned for his bag, but Keith just headed out of the door with it, making Lance follow him begrudgingly.

The short car ride was silent, and it was comfortable after they talked the entire time they spent together. Keith’s hand rested on Lance’s thigh through the whole ride, neither of them questioning it. Both felt a sort of sadness when they arrived at Lance’s house, reluctant to say goodbye.

“So,” Lance said after they arrived and for several seconds there was no movement from his side. “I guess…”

“Yeah,” Keith said. Suddenly, for a moment or two, both of them grew nervous, not knowing how to part.

Lance grabbed his bag, noticing the awkward movement Keith’s hand made after he removed it from Lance’s thigh. “I guess I’ll see you in school?”

“You guessed right,” Keith said, cracking a small smile.

Lance exited the car, walking around it towards his house, but then stopped to turn around to knock on Keith’s window, which he rolled down. Lance leaned on the space into which the window just vanished. He leaned slightly into the car. “Thank you, by the way. For helping me but also for everything else.”

“No problem,” Keith shrugged. “It was fun, to be honest.”

“Sorry for being so horrible in physics, though,” Lance apologized with a laugh.

“You saved my ass in history, so it’s fine,” Keith said. “You’re not even that bad.”

“Bootlicker.”

Both had to laugh. Lance smiled down at Keith, who met his gaze with ease, their faces nearing like in an old, natural habit they both have become accustomed to. 

“LANCE!”

Both flinched at Ana Sofia’s voice calling from their front porch. Lance bumped his head as he jerked up. He hissed and then laughed again, rubbing the sore spot. “See you in physics?”

“See you in physics,” Keith smirked, waving as Lance made his way to his house.

 

“Are you stupid?” Ana Sofia hissed as Lance approached. “Mom could’ve seen you.”

“So what?” 

Ana Sofia looked at him in disbelief, stemming her hands on her hips. “Just get inside, idiot.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i havent posted in literal months, wow.
> 
> okay so i dont know if i wanna continue this. i worked so so hard for it, but season 8 just annihilated all my love for the show. im still very angry about it, and im really wishing to find my love for the ship again. idk :/

**Author's Note:**

> like i said in the tags: i stared this work almost a year ago. had to change shiros and alluras rl a little, now theyre besties instead of lovers, but hey, i didnt have to change that much lol. i was super self conscious abt this work and i edited it at least 4 times by now, but here ya go, i finally wanna have it out! besides, can anyone guess what the title is supposed to mean? ;)  
> also, the notes are gonna be the part of every chapter where i absplutely dont care abt grammar, spelling, or clean speech. lmfao
> 
> tysm for reading, tell me how you think it continues! Im thinking abt posting biweekly, lets see how quick i can keep up
> 
> have a great week!
> 
> ps: here are the works that inspired me for this fic. check them out:
> 
> https://pidgydraws.tumblr.com/post/164947032651/you-talk-too-much-yet-another-hand-drawn-piece


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